


A Legend Remastered

by ButtonPusherExtraordinaire



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Percy Jackson, Blood and Gore, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Darker Percy Jackson, F/M, Magic Revealed, Multi, Powerful Percy Jackson, Realistic and dark, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 11:44:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 58,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16136549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButtonPusherExtraordinaire/pseuds/ButtonPusherExtraordinaire
Summary: What if the story was different? How would characters change and who exactly would they become? What if the gods were more like their mythical counterparts? The Fates are never kind in their machinations, so the story of our heroes become more dark, tragic. Legends never die and this is the tale of Perseus Jackson, the prophesied child, the one whose path has been set for eons. AU!





	1. Prologue

**Yes, yes, I** _**know** _ **that I shouldn't really be writing another story, but I've been drowning under the symptoms of writer's block for** _**all of my other stories.** _ **I've tried and tried and** _**tried** _ **to write my other stories, but nothing came out right and it wasn't good. So, to try and cure my affliction of said writer's block, I wrote this down and have been pleasantly surprised thus far. I hope you will be as well.**

**Ever since I read the** _**Percy Jackson** _ **books, this has been in the deep recesses of my brain, awaiting a time for me to put it on a document. So, without further ado, this is my take on the** _**Percy Jackson** _ **mythos.**

**This will be far more, in my opinion, realistic. Riordan's series was written in mind for children and younger teenagers instead of older teens and adults. What if he hadn't done that? What if the gods on Olympus and Titans were much more similar to the mythology? What if the story was darker like real life? What if certain changes were made to the story? What if the story of Percy Jackson was actually like the mythology of Ancient Greece? Well, this is my attempt at it and in case you hadn't realized, this will be a** _**massive** _ **AU!**

**To be honest, at least right now, I plan for many things to be different than the books. Especially pertaining to the** _**Heroes of Olympus** _ **series. To be blunt, most, if not all, of that series** _**sucked** _ **. Everything became too messy, too utterly convoluted and it seemed half-assed, to put it nicely. No disrespect to Rick Riordan, but it seemed, at least to me, that it wasn't his best work, and I have realized since that he had probably** _**really** _ **wanted to move on to other story ideas like the** _**Magnus Chase** _ **series.**

**This also means that the world of a demigod will be explored more than it was. Demigods are ones who stand apart from society, they are outcasts because of their heritage, their Fate-decreed destinies. Also, magic will play a much larger role in this because, despite what fanboys and fangirls vehemently claim, magic was as insignificant in the whole series as Percy himself was in the final book of the** _**Heroes of Olympus** _ **series.**

**Wish me luck and I hope that you enjoy it. Please, leave a review and tell me what you think, whether positive or negative; I would** _**really** _ **appreciate it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own** _**Percy Jackson** _ **or any characters associated with the series or in actual Mythology.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

The dark, misty night howled as Nyx blanketed everything, and Artemis' Chariot shone with a brilliant silver. Intense roars of thunder shook the heavens, spiderwebs of lightning crackling in its wake as Zeus' fury knew no bounds. New York was loud even in the dead of night, the harsh shrills of sirens wailing like a desperate babe.

None of the frantic noise was heard as the lone occupant of a tiny, squalid New York apartment flinched back with a jolt from the realization of the Fates' decree. She couldn't believe it despite the truth glaring at her with the intensity of Apollo's light, and she was unable to look away even though every nerve in her body commanded her to do so.

She was with child.

Sally Jackson closed her tear-filled eyes, tenderly wrapping her arms around her stomach, around the life that she now knew resided within. She shook mightily as tears slid down her cheeks, and spilled to the cheap, rotting floor. She desperately prayed that she was wrong. She  _couldn't_  raise a child! She was only 19 years old and penniless, but alas, the Fates were never kind - one of the first facts that she had ever been taught.

What kind of life would her child live?

She didn't need to have Apollo's prophetic sight or Prometheus' famed forethought to know the answer. Her child would be scorned by the world and hunted by the deadly forces who terrorize the children of the gods more than  _anything_. He - because in her gut, she  _knew_  that it was a boy - would be cursed to a depraved, hellish existence.

She knew from experience.

Sally herself had dealt with the trials and hardships that inevitably came with being the child of a god. She was one of the few children of Hecate who had been borne in the past thirty years.

Her father had been an abusive alcoholic, never able to stay away from the bottle after Hecate had abandoned him with a 'useless' daughter. Sally could still, unfortunately, remember the long,  _memorable_  nights when her father had worn his large, jaded rings.

Then, when she was 9 years old, a pack of Hellhounds had attacked their home, ripping through her father's body like he was made out of tissue paper instead of human flesh, muscle, and  _bone._ The shame still ate at her because, during that moment, she had felt a small, sporadic burst of glee when her father had died, but that had been then quickly masked by the utter terror that permeated through her mind and body, the realization that she was going to die, and there was  _nothing_ that she would be able to do to prevent it.

The pack of Hellhounds had loomed over her small form, smashing through the ceiling, causing white dust to pepper the floor. Then, as if a gift from the heavens, three teenagers - two girls and one boy - had entered her home, cutting through the monsters with an ease that had stolen Sally's dust-riddled lungs.

That day was the day that she had learned of her heritage, of her  _cursed life._  One of the girls, May, whom was older than Sally by eight years and had had bright crazed eyes, had revealed that she was also a daughter of Hecate, the goddess of Magic, Sorcery, Witchcraft, the Mist, Crossroads, Trivial Knowledge, Necromancy, and Ghosts.

Thus, Sally's life as a demigod had begun. For almost a decade, she had lived at Camp Half-Blood, lived in what had felt like a virtual prison, a training facility whence the  _only_  activity encouraged by Chiron and the gods was to train, to train like the weapons that the gods forced them to be. Quickly, and with no one more surprised than herself, Sally had risen through the ranks of her kin, gaining notoriety as her skill in the magical arts was superb, outclassing May herself after several years.

To Sally's distress, May had quickly become jealous and had even at one, heartbreaking point attempted to kill her. Only Sally's mageía had saved her life, waking her in the dead of night, just in time to avoid May's poison-coated knife.

May had quickly been banished from Camp Half-Blood by Chiron, forced to live in the Mortal's World by herself. Sally had been grief-stricken that someone whom she had believed to be her friend, someone who shared her blood, was willing to murder her.

That had been the first experience that had revealed the truth to her, showing glimpses of the abhorrent life that  _all_  demigods were cursed to by decree of the Fates.

The gods didn't care about their children and bedded many mortals  _every day_ , too prideful to protect and claim their inevitable progeny. They were arrogant, unwilling to act in anything except their own interests.

Even Dionysus himself, who had once been a mortal like Sally and every other half-blood, had never shown any inclination to  _care_  about any of the demigods, always prattling on about how  _lucky_  that they were to have even lived for as long as they had had. He had said that most demigods didn't live past the age of a toddler for their 'scent' summoned every monster in their vicinity.

Sally had hated it, but at the same time now looking back, she was thankful for the lessons that she had learned, because without them, she would have died long ago. The moment when she had turned 18, Sally left Camp Half-Blood to live in New York City alongside the ignorant mortals whom sometimes seemed no better than the selfish, petulant gods.

With the aid of her magic and sorcery, which had taken several years to master, Sally was able to conceal her demigod 'scent' from monsters and suppress her aura of power, masking her presence from  _any_  on Olympus.

To any at Camp Half-Blood, the plan had been for them to think that she had died, vanishing off the face of the Earth, because Sally had  _loathed_  her life there, lounging around, waiting for the moment when one of the gods would claim countless, lonely demigods. She had seen, firsthand, the selfish, callous, and vindictive nature of the gods.

She had lost friends, and even her own half-siblings, from monstrous attacks but the gods had always done  _nothing_ , viewing their children as nothing more than  _tools_  that could easily be discarded like marketplace trash.

After several months, she had procured a job at a candy shop without the aid of the Mist or her magic. She had wanted to  _work_  for her place in life, not just  _take_  it like she could have easily done in the Mortal's Realm.

She had quickly become friends with another employee - Naomi, a lively mid-twenty-year-old girl who had desired to provide funds for her widowed, ailing father. Naomi, a pure-blooded mortal, had one day suggested that the two of them visit a nightclub to celebrate their mutual pay raise.

Sally had been hesitant, but ultimately, Naomi had been able to encourage her to simply have fun. Then, when they had arrived, the enormous bouncers didn't even care to see any ID's, simply letting them pass into the raving, sporadic-bursting light show inside the club.

After several hours, Sally had begun to feel her anxiety eventually fade away and she began to feel like a 'normal' mortal instead of a half-blood. Many men, eyes all shining with alcohol and hazed lust, had approached her but with a small twitch of Sally's finger, she had used the Mist to make them forget her.

For the first time in many years, she hadn't been tense, awaiting an attack from  _anyone._ She was having fun, but it wouldn't last.

The Fates were never kind.

For as long as she lived, Sally would never forget the moment when Naomi had squealed into her ear, alcohol clouding her friend's mind, freeing her inhibitions, screaming about the guy who had just entered the club. Naomi had then pulled Sally around and had screeched something about how her panties were  _drenched_  just from the sight of the man. Sally had dimly noticed that  _everything_  had frozen, music ceasing as everyone's attention was held by the newest arrival.

That's when her eyes had located the man whom  _every woman_  in the club was staring at with lust-filled orbs, eyes begging for him to choose them.

She had swallowed in fear as she saw his eyes, the brilliant, shining orbs which had been glowing in absolute power, an unholy power that could slay the mightiest of the Titans and maybe even the Primordials. The Mist had covered the man like an extra pair of clothes, but Sally was unaffected and she had been able to view him in all of his transcendent, divine glory.

Immediately, his  _aura_  had blanketed the room, suffocating her mind with the intensity of the world's gravity as she could  _feel_  the power that he radiated. It had been intense and overwhelming, nearly forcing her to fall to her knees in a pathetic heap.

Sally had quickly tried to think of ways to exit the club without attracting his attention, but she couldn't. If he sensed, for even a moment, her magic, he would approach her and if Sally quickly barrelled towards the exit, he would inevitably track her, maybe even forcing himself on her.

Even though the music was no longer blaring, the ringing in her ears was a deafening screech as she had turned, slouching against the table. She had prayed to the Fates, beseeching them to allow her to be unnoticed by him, but the Fates were never kind.

Naomi had roughly shaken her shoulder,  _"Girl, he's walking towards us! His beautiful eyes are looking at you!"_

Sally had slowly turned around, knowing that if she did not, he would view it as a sign of disrespect and kill her, and probably Naomi. Her head was bowed, hoping that he would focus on Naomi, but she knew of the god's reputation. The younger the mortal woman, the better.

She saw the shadow in front of her and felt his presence looming over them and slowly, nervously, Sally raised her head, craning her neck up to stare at him. The face was perfect,  _too perfect_  to be mortal or a half-blood. He was… beautiful, and Sally had known and still knew that any and all of Aphrodite's children to ever exist, male or female and immortal or demigod, had  _nothing_  against the utter beauty that  _he_  possessed. He towered over every man in the club, making the muscular bouncers seem insignificant, like the inconsequential ants that they were to him.

She had felt Naomi's sharp elbow dig into her side and Sally licked her dry lips,  _"He- hello, sir."_  She had stuttered quietly, hoping that he would be turned off by her shy attitude.

His full lips had quirked and lust  _glowed_  in his powerful depths,  _"It's not every day that I am in the presence of such a beautiful woman."_  His voice had been soft, but a deep, booming baritone, sending shivers down her spine despite her best efforts to remain unaffected.

" _Thank you, sir."_

He had then stepped closer, chiseled body pressed against Sally's. He leaned down and Sally was helpless to resist,  _"That's a beautiful dress you have on, but you know what?"_  His breath had ghosted over her lips,  _"It would look much better if it was crumpled on my bedroom floor."_  His eyes were stormy, roiling with turbulent power and Sally had shuddered, seeds of arousal blooming despite herself.

She tried to step back but he had stepped even closer if that was even possible.  _"Sir, I don't…"_ Sally's eyes darted toward Naomi, who was gleefully smirking, anticipation carved into her pretty face, eyes alight with prideful success. After a moment, Sally glanced away and she noticed that everyone was staring at them, wondering if she would dare to reject the  _perfect-looking_  man.

" _Surely such a beautiful woman desires the company of one such as me. I would be most distraught if that wasn't the case."_  His tone had darkened and Sally had quickly recognized that if she did, in fact, reject him, he would kill everyone in the club, herself included.

She had thought of Naomi and all of the innocent adults and teenagers in the club seeking only a way to relax and be themselves. Without any doubt, she  _knew_  that she would never be able to live with herself if she signed their death warrants. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Naomi step towards her, concern etched into her eyes, hand reaching Sally's shoulder, fingers gripping flesh in a show of support.

Then, without any warning, a strange feeling had come over the daughter of Hecate, making her feel hazy and uninhibited. It was as if someone or something had entered her body and wrenched control away from her. All of a sudden, she had had the  _overwhelming_  desire to succumb to  _his_  advances and relent.

Decision made, she remembered that she had grinned, her mind clouded with something.  _"Well, you are very insightful, sir, because that's exactly why I am here. I have the burning need to feel… passionate with a true man."_  She knew that she had stroked his ego, relieved that the club's inhabitants wouldn't be on the receiving end of his rage.

His chest had swelled with pleasure and before she could blink, his hands had pulled her hard against him, her breasts pressed tightly against his chiseled chest. Then he leaned down and his lips had slanted over her own, devouring her mouth as heat pooled between her thighs.

Then in a haze of clouded memory, she had lain with a god, giving him her virginity and receiving pleasure that she had never known existed, but it had been for the price of her soul.

She was disgusted with herself when she had awoken the following morning. She had already known the wretched nature of the gods yet she had traitorously given her body to  _him_  like a common whore.

To make matters worse, the next day, when she had arrived for her shift, her manager had sadly informed her that Naomi had been killed by a gang the previous night, in the wrong place at the wrong time, in a hit-and-run operation.

Sally was devastated and had sobbed as her first mortal friend was cruelly summoned to Hades' Realm far too soon.

For the next two months, she had thrown herself into her work with abandon, growing used to the absence of Naomi and the shame that ate her soul.

If only Sally had been  _stronger_ , she could have resisted  _his_ advances, but she knew that that was illogical. If she had, Naomi and  _everyone_  in the club would have died.

Then the signs, signs that she had seen many of Aphrodite's daughters exhibit at Camp before they had terminated, began to show and her magic had already told her what she didn't want to hear. In spite of the truth staring her in the face, Sally had purchased a pregnancy test with tears streaming down her cheeks, the cashier's face sympathetic to her plight.

The Fates were never kind.

Now, staring down at her stomach, she placed her hand on the area where her son was growing. "If I was stronger, I would terminate you with my mageía, but I already love you too much." She whispered, "Your life won't be easy; you will be scorned by mortals and gods alike, hunted for whose blood flows in your veins, and ultimately, you will be killed." She choked out, hating that she said the truth. "You will have a tough life, but I will be there to guide you through your struggles. I will be the parent that all other half-bloods wished who they had had. I promise you," she swallowed and her hands glowed as she called upon her magic, feeling her son's development. "I will  _never_  stop loving you. Your father will not be with you, but I will be. I will help you and keep you safe. You will not suffer as I have and you will always know the feeling of having a true family,  _Perseus_." At that moment, she chose that name so her son would hopefully have the same 'good' life that his namesake, the hero she was fascinated with at Camp, had lived, even though she doubted that her son would be so blessed - the Fates were never kind.

Her fingers inched deeper into her skin, the sparks of her mageía seeping into her body. Her eyes closed as she felt her son with the power that she had inherited from Hecate, her  _mother_. With her magic, Sally was gifted with the truth and he was beautiful,  _perfect._ Deep tears welled in her eyes and she knew that her promises were true - she would always love him.

Even now, when he was only a fetus protected in her womb, she could  _feel_  his strength, the power that coursed through his body, his godly  _blood_. He would surpass any half-blood whom Sally had ever met and rival the legends of the greatest to ever be borne.

Her son was destined for greatness, and she knew that a time would come when her son would be forced to face his destiny just as Sally herself had had to a decade ago. She decided that she would shelter him away from the  _darkness_  and keep him ignorant as long as she possibly could. She knew that it was selfish, but she  _refused_  to see her son be burdened like so many of the gods' children tended to become, like she herself had been.

He deserved to be  _free_  as long as he could, and Sally was  _determined_  to make it happen.

In her mind, as she was still sitting on her bed, she began to concoct her strategy, her  _plan._  She had heard Athena's children preach about the importance to simply  _think_  before acting countless times, and in this situation, Sally was able to admit the wisdom in such a course of action.

She would need to keep his 'scent' and aura of power hidden, keeping him ignorant for as long as she could. She would need to restrain his divine heritage, smothering it with all her possible strength.

Sally shuddered out a breath as she realized that despite her precautions, her child would be marked for death if word of his existence ever reached many of the gods' ears.

Her one-time lover's wife would smite Sally and her innocent child if she were ever to discover the affair. Countless other gods would as well, such as her former lover's brothers. Every story that she had heard of the two mighty gods chilled her soul, burdening her with the knowledge that if they so chose, Sally and  _any_  demigod could be killed with a simple twitch of their finger.

It would be the hardest thing she could ever endure, but for the love that had blossomed in her heart for her unborn son, she would do it a thousand times over, no matter the risks.

With her resolution cemented, Sally stood up, cradling her still-flat stomach, and stepped onto the rickety balcony, her magic stabilizing the ledge. She slowly closed her eyes and let the sounds flood into her ears.

Lightning crackled with the pace of a million suns and thunder roared across Ouranos, the heavens seeming to shudder from its master's rage, scorching lines of power coursing through the sky like a careless butcher.

The King of the gods was furious, and at whom or what Sally did not know, but she was relieved that he hadn't somehow discovered Perseus. If that were the case, he would pluck the child away to live on Olympus or at Camp Half-Blood to keep a close eye on him. Or even more likely, he would kill the innocent Perseus, fearing for a threat to his reign.

After all, the story and  _cycle_  of revenge had been told before, of a son murdering their father and seizing the throne of creation for himself.

Sally refused to allow Perseus to fall into his father's grasp and she swore on the River Styx that her son would  _not_  lay siege to Zeus and Olympus in hopes of killing his father as Zeus had done before him and his grandfather, Kronos before him.

It would be strenuous, but she prayed to the Fates that her son would be the first of a  _new_  breed of heroes, a new era for demigods and gods alike.

A shockwave of thunder clashed in the sky and Sally opened her eyes, glaring upwards, straight into the King of the gods' ire. She hugged her still-flat stomach tighter, almost desperately. "You will  _not_  take away  _my son_ , Zeus. I don't care that you are his father - he is  _mine!_  You won't have him and none of the other gods will either." Her green eyes brightened unnaturally, her mageía clawing through her body with tenacity. "He will be  _better_  than those who have already lived and died. He will be stronger than  _you_  and any of the gods or immortals.  _My son_  will be the greatest hero to ever live and won't cause the cycle of a son's revenge to begin anew - he will not murder his father  _unlike you_."

XxXxXxXxXxX

He wished that he could  _actually_  be surprised, but he wasn't; quite the opposite, actually. He had  _felt_  it, the unmistakable flare of power that could  _only_  belong to a child of himself or his brothers. It had only appeared for less than a second, smothered by  _someone_  and he would have missed it if he hadn't been actively looking for it.

He was bored, and always sought out flares of power in the Mortal's Realm, trying to determine which god had lain with a mortal. Usually, he felt Apollo, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hercules, Ares, and all of the minor gods' children, but this one was  _different._ It had been raw,  _untamed power_ , an aura that had already rivaled a fully-matured demigod despite it flickering like a toddler who had just discovered their power. There was only one  _type_  of half-blood who felt like  _that._

A child of one of the Big Three.

Hades hadn't visited a mortal's bed since Maria, and he knew that Zeus was still  _furious_  at Hera for her actions against his bastards, not willing to have another child with his blood killed by his vindictive wife for at least another decade or so.

It seemed that Poseidon had finally broken the Oath.

Hades told himself that what he was about to do was the wisest choice that he had had and that he was going to be doing his brother a favor because if Zeus  _somehow_  received word of Poseidon's child, an easy death would  _never_  be a possibility for the innocent half-blood. The Earthshaker would be furious no doubt, but his brother would get over it in time - he always did. Also, things hadn't been too interesting in the Underworld and the Mortal's Realm in far too long.

Since the end of what the mortals call 'World War II', nothing  _exciting_  had happened. The only other thing that  _had_  caught his attention for more than a few months in the past half-century since his son, the Führer, had killed himself in response to his two cousins and half-brother's victory, was the knowledge that Zeus had broken the Oath first - unsurprising since his youngest brother was as bad as Aphrodite when it came to fucking.

He had debated killing the girl, but the only reason that he had allowed her to live was that she was born a girl. She would be no threat to Hades and was far less likely to draw her father's attention in his quest to 'groom' one of his children to unseat his 'disrespectful' elder brothers. No. Zeus would only choose a son to usurp Hades or Poseidon.

The only reason that he had discovered the  _boy's_  existence was that of Hera. He had been  _furious_ , the Underworld quaking from his wrath for weeks. Zeus had visited the  _same mortal twice!_  It was  _just_ as Hades had been with Maria, but where were Hades' innocent half-bloods?

In the Lotus Casino after  _Zeus_  had attempted to murder them and  _had_  succeeded in murdering their mother, poor, sweet, innocent Maria Di Angelo

He would have killed the boy, Jason Grace, but Hera had beaten him to it, killing both Beryl and young Jason in a jealous spite. Hades himself had personally seen Jason enter his realm and had, after consideration, mercifully placed him into Elysium - the boy was innocent and no baby deserved the Fields of Asphodel or the Fields of Punishment.

Now, he would do his barnacle-loving brother a favor, mercifully giving his young son a painless death, a gift in comparison to the inevitable agony-filled death that awaited the boy from monster-consuming-demigods.

He appeared in a small room, the walls peeling from decay, but that wasn't what had drawn his attention. It wasn't the feel of mageía clouding the room, almost stifling, even to one as powerful as himself.

No.

A crib was settled in the corner, outlined by the shine of Artemis' Chariot darting through the night sky. It was a worn crib, used by multiple mortal families to feel 'protected' of their children's safety.

Hades silently stepped closer and his eyes connected with the slumbering babe. It was a lovely child, beautiful in a multitude of ways. A shock of hair the color of Nyx herself, and looked as soft as velvet, sprouted from the boy's head, clashing with his smooth white skin which reminded Hades of Olympus' grand marble. Already, the child displayed godly beauty; his puckered, pink lips drawn in a peaceful quirk as Morpheus soothed his mind with happy dreams. No doubt the boy would have grown to be a strong half-blood, more than likely the strongest of his generation due to his heritage if Hades didn't offer his brother's son a 'gift' beyond any other: a life without pain, nor the burden of being a god's child.

Suddenly, Hades stiffened, shadows swiftly concealing him in utter darkness, in  _invisibility_ as the boy opened his eyes.

Pure, unholy  _white_  orbs stared at him, somehow connecting with Hades' own through the darkness as if the child knew where and  _who_  he was.

Silence. Heartbeat. Moonlight.

Shock evolved into fury as the shadows exploded off his form, shattering into silent shards of deadly darkness. Rage howled through his blood, demanding  _death._

How could he have been  _so blind?_

All of Poseidon's children had bronze, tan coloring. This  _boy_  had pale  _white skin_ ,  _Zeus' skin!_  His youngest  _brother_  had sired  _another bastard!_  He had broken the Oath  _thrice!_

The shadows in the small room roiled, barely constrained by the enraged King of the Underworld.

How  _dare_  he?

Zeus had murdered Maria and falsely-believed that he had managed to kill Nico and Bianca. Now, his  _brother_  had the  _audacity_ to flout the Oath that he himself had created!

His thoughts and fury stalled as the child continued to observe him, brilliant white orbs staring up at his grotesque appearance without condemnation or fear. Rather, the boy looked fascinated and quickly, Hades realized that the  _boy somehow trusted him._

It was  _preposterous_ , unheard of!

He was Hades, the fearsome King of the Underworld, bringer of death, sorrow, and evil. No child, let alone a son of Zeus, had  _ever_  looked at him without fear, had ever looked at him with eyes shining with innocence and  _trust._  Not even Hades'  _own children_  had gazed at him in the way this  _boy_  did. In fact, when he had killed his son, Joseph Stalin, the proud Russian leader's eyes had bulged in utter terror. Even Nico and Bianca had both shrieked in distress when they had laid their sights on him for the first time.

He stumbled back soundlessly, feeling trapped for unfathomable reasons. He warily saw the boy sit up, and shakily climb to his feet, beaming at him, white orbs gleaming in the dark like the stars themselves.

Hades raised his hand, trying to ward the child away, away from the emotions and memories of his immortal existence. To his absolute disbelief and horror, the boy raised both of his arms and waved them wildly at him, beginning to jump up and down. "Up!" The child cried out happily,  _innocently_.

He froze, certain that he had heard wrong, but when the boy exclaimed 'up' again, Hades felt a very  _human_  emotion: fear. To his shame, he  _was afraid_  of this weak, innocent child. No situation in his  _very long_  life had ever been similar to this one, and he didn't know what to do.

He should most definitely kill the boy and welcome him to Elysium. He  _needed_  to do it, but could he murder a baby who was bathed in innocence, even if he was Zeus' son?

Slowly, so  _slowly_ , he silently approached the crib, feeling a  _warm_ emotion when the boy's exclamations became more jubilant. Hades stared down at the innocent child and now, more than ever before, he saw Zeus in the boy. Everything except the boy's pitch-black hair and delicate ears was straight from Hades' brother.

His gnarled, disgusting hands reached out and he gently, so ever gently took the child into his arms. Without a fuss, the boy stared at him with his fingers waving at him, mouth stretched into a large, innocent smile.

Hades tried with all his might to force himself to simply  _crush_  the boy in his hands, but his limbs wouldn't respond, continuing to hold the boy gently.

Footsteps pounding assaulted his ears.

"Percy!" A woman's shriek echoed through the room and Hades felt the mageía condense, clouding the air around him. He turned slowly, unperturbed to find a woman staring at him with such  _terror_  that he felt guilty. "Get  _away from him!"_  The woman, obviously the boy's mother, shook and her fists clenched, unwilling to do  _anything_  that could potentially harm her precious child.

"Mommy!" The boy, who was now Percy, tried to jump from Hades' hands towards his mother,  _"Mommy, look!"_  He exclaimed excitedly, ignorant to the tension suffocating the room.

Hades knew that the mother had  _every right_  to feel afraid, but he wished that her reaction would have been more similar to that of her son's. "Fear not, child," he rumbled, his deep, gargling voice slicing through the tension. "I will not harm your son _._ "

The mother swallowed and her eyes became alight with magic as she stepped closer. "You- … _you're him._ " She breathed out, her mageía frantically lashing towards Hades only for him to twitch a finger, snuffing out the girl's attack.

"I am Hades, daughter of Hecate." He tilted his head, watching as the mother attempted to stare into his face, but quickly lost her composure upon the sight of his rotting countenance.

Quickly, she fell to her knees, tears falling to the floor like dropped bombs, "Please,  _I beg of you,_  spare him. He's  _innocent!_  If you desire blood, I beseech you,  _spill my own!_ " Her eyes rose and the anguish shining in her powerful, green eyes startled him, reminding him painfully of his own mother.

The first memory that Hades possessed was that of Rhea when he had just exited her body. That was when he had felt a pure love, a  _mother's love_  in his long life and he had basked in it, wanting to watch his mother's tender face for the rest of eternity. Only minutes later, her expression had become petrified and she had begun to weep. Then his father had appeared like Thanatos himself and scooped him up, swallowing him whole. He had joined his elder sisters, taking the brunt of the pain, keeping Hestia, Demeter, Hera, and later Poseidon safe from the  _acid_  of Kronos' stomach.

As a result, the many years - his  _entire childhood_  - of constant exposure to the brunt of his father's indigestion had warped his body. His face wasn't recognizable at all, completely deformed to the point that Hades had permanently seared his Helm of Darkness  _into_  his face centuries ago, masking his abhorrent features with pure hellfire. Now, to even  _attempt_  to remove his Helm was agonizing and chunks of his rotting skin would flail in distress when he tried.

Like all of his siblings, Hades was gifted with his shapeshifting, but to change  _so much_  of his appearance was too draining, and rather than  _waste_  his power, he had opted instead to  _hide_  it with his Helm. Because it had happened when he was still a young godling, he was unable to heal - he was too  _young_  to be able to concentrate, focus his energy and power to his wounds. Now, it was too late to attempt to heal himself. He may be immortal, but he was an immortal cursed to live with his grotesque body.

Suddenly, he felt a blast of mageía slam into his face, rattling his Helm painfully. He grunted and stepped back, "I mean you  _no harm,_  woman." He lied, knowing that if Percy's mother knew his  _true purpose_  for his 'visit', she would attack.

"Please,  _don't hurt him!"_  She sobbed out and Hades slowly, like he was approaching a wild animal, handed Percy to his mother. The boy immediately wrapped his pudgy arms around the mother, settling his face into the crook of her neck.

He stepped back and one last time, tried to force himself to obliterate the boy from this life, but he couldn't  _do it_. Perhaps if the boy was older and had shown the  _disrespect and disgust_ that was so common amongst half-bloods, Hades could have gone through with his original purpose, but he  _refused_  to murder an innocent child, one who had shown him more kindness than  _anyone_  in far too long - Percy had gazed upon him with trust and without fear, something that meant more to him than the boy would ever know. Ultimately, the fact that he was Zeus' bastard was irrelevant; he was Hades' nephew and the King of the Underworld intended to show the boy the same kindness that had been gifted to him by Percy.

He lowered his helmed-head just slightly, "Fear not, daughter of Hecate. Your child is safe and won't feel my wrath."

The woman squeezed Percy tighter, almost bringing him into her body. "Thank you, lord Hades," she stuttered out, fear carved into her face.

Hades took one last glance of the child: Percy was snuggled into his mother's neck and seemed to have fallen into Morpheus' grasp once again, soft puffs of breath shuddering against his mother's skin. He hoped that the boy remained in that state forever because he didn't deserve the cursed life he was destined for, but he knew it was pointless to hope. Silently, he swore that no monsters on his orders would attack little Percy or his mother for as long as they drew breath.

Then, Hades vanished into the shadows.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Sally gasped and fell to her knees, clutching her beloved son. The feel of his soft breaths puffing against her neck relieved her, the weight in her arms assuring her that Percy was still alive.

Hades had kept his word.

By the Fates, she had  _never_  been so terrified. Her face quivered and silent sobs wracked her body, relief and fear fighting for control over her mind.

She had awoken when a flash of power had shaken her apartment. At first, she had mistakenly believed that Zeus was throwing around lightning again, the shockwaves of his thunder rattling the entire continent, furious about  _something._ Then, her mageía had screamed in warning, frantically screeching like one of the Furies themselves.

Sally had leaped to her feet, bolting to Percy's room, praying to  _anyone_  that her precious boy was safe. When she had entered the room, the worst sight imaginable had met her eyes, traumatizing her more than the Hellhounds that had murdered her father, and May's attempt on her life years ago.

Large,  _boiled_  hands with warts held her son and a  _massive_ man was bathed in the darkness. Over seven feet tall, with  _spikes_ sticking out of his body, the man's power was enormous, making Sally shudder.

"Percy!" She cried out in fear, mind racing as she tried to desperately think of a solution. "Get  _away from him!"_

Then the man had turned around and Sally almost fainted. An enormous helm covered his head, but between the metal, a pure  _fire_ was all that was visible. No eyes, nose, mouth, or  _skin_. Just hellish-looking fire.

Percy, her precious, beautiful Percy reached towards her, "Mommy!" He called out innocently, unaware of the  _danger_  that had befallen them.  _"Mommy, look!"_  One of his hands pointed towards the man and Sally had the sickening realization of  _who the god was._ The power, while weaker, was too similar to Zeus' to be a coincidence.

"Fear not, child." The god's voice was rugged, almost raspy as if the fire had almost fully seared it away. "I will not harm  _him."_

"You- … _you're him."_  She had choked out, certain that she was about to watch her beautiful son murdered by his uncle. Her magic suddenly lashed out but with a simple twitch of the god's finger, it had dissipated like smoke.

Hades had mercifully spared Percy, and Sally held him tightly, feeling her fear seep away with every second that passed when Percy continued to sleep against her neck.

She ran her fingers through her son's curled hair, the same color as her own, threading her fingers gently through the silk-like strands. She kissed his head all over, "Thank you, thank you,  _thank you._ " She whispered to anyone who was listening, "Oh, my baby boy, you are  _my heart_. You are the light of my life, my sun, moon, and stars, my  _everything_." She closed her vibrant green eyes and nestled her head against her son's, inhaling his unique scent, allowing it to soothe her warring mind and heart.

Sally had promised, when she left Camp Half-Blood, that she would  _never_  utilize her mageía to her benefit, but now she realized how  _foolish_  that that decision had been.

Thankfully, she had had the forethought  _not_  to swear it on the Styx.

For her precious boy, she would use her mageía to move to a safer location, shrouding it with magical defenses so no situation like tonight would ever happen again. Hades might betray his promise, realizing his mistake in letting his nephew live.

This apartment was no longer safe, and Sally was kicking herself for her foolish actions. The Fates had, surprisingly, been kind tonight, but they weren't always and now, Sally would be prepared, fortifying her new family from the immortal world, willing to do  _anything_  to spare her beloved Perseus.

XxXxXxXxXxX

**Well, that all for this little prologue, premise bit. I hope you all enjoyed it, and please leave a review to tell me what you thought.**

**Let's discuss the plot, shall we? Too late:**

****Sally Jackson is a daughter of Hecate, whom already is fully aware of the dangers Percy will face. She has** **mageía, or magic, to aid her. Physically she isn't powerful, but her magic makes her a force to be reckoned with. Yes, she got knocked up at only 19 years of age, but I think that is realistic especially in** _**New York City.** _ **Sally is strikingly attractive - she's a demigod and she would gain notoriety for her beauty.**

****Yes, Percy Jackson is the son of Zeus. Okay, I** _**know** _ **that I should be clawing my eyes out for this blasphemy, but let me explain my reasoning. Poseidon's fatal flaw is loyalty - how could he cheat on his wife of thousands of years multiple times? I know in the myths that Poseidon was as infamous as Zeus for his dalliances, but in** _**Percy Jackson,** _ **he shows really** _**no symptoms** _ **of that except for Percy himself. So, who is far more likely to sire Percy based on probability - Zeus or Poseidon? Plus, there are hardly** _**any** _ **stories, that I could find, where Percy Jackson is a son of Zeus. Usually, it's always his canon origin, Hades, a Primordial, or a Titan.**

**In this story, Percy is** _**not at all** _ **going to be stupid, pathetic, loyal to a fault, and a complete and utter moron. He will be smarter and a child actually worthy of the prophecy, of defeating the King of the Titans. Many things will be changed! Percy becoming Zeus' son is only one of those. Also, demigods powers and abilities will be explored** _**much more** _ **than in canon because Riordan** _**seriously** _ **nerfed them. In a time of war, people come to their full potential yet Athena, Hermes, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hermes, Ares, and Aphrodite's children are all sitting ducks because they are** _**nothing** _ **without a weapon. They have godly blood flowing in their veins, but they don't use it. In this story, they will accept their inheritance and learn to thrive off it.**

****So, Hades appears and considers murdering poor, little-kid Percy. Thankfully, he doesn't because little Percy is a brave kid, but I hope it seemed realistic. Hades has never been a devil-like figure. Instead, he has been portrayed as a neutral immortal, strict but fair. Since Percy didn't fear him, his hardened heart softened somewhat. Also, his appearance is based on the** _**god of war** _ **series if you hadn't deduced.**

_**Stay Safe  
** _ **ButtonPusher**


	2. Chapter 1

**Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone! I love hearing the feedback you guys have, whether it's positive or negative. It makes my day every time I see a new review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own** _**Percy Jackson** _ **or any characters associated with the series or in actual Mythology.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

A large truck sloshed through the street, bumping over potholes and trash intermittently. It was an old vehicle, rust adorning the sides like a second coat of paint with little dents peppered across the bumper, the evidence of an impatient driver. On the side door, painted in dark orange lettering, ' _Jim's Car Mechanic_ ' was plastered unevenly across the door's expanse.

The truck soon pulled over to the sidewalk, near large stone-carved stairs and stopped, ignoring the angry honks of indignant drivers behind it. Two guys, one white and the other black, hopped out of the truck, both with hoods pulled over their faces, shielding them from the pelts of rain. The taller one of the two boys handed something to the driver and the truck quickly whizzed away, spraying water onto the sidewalk by the gallons.

The shorter one, who was aided by crutches, quickly bounded up the stairs, agilely skipping every other one with a  _click, click, click._ The taller guy lingered behind, head moving around, scanning his surroundings. He then slowly walked up the steps until he was aligned by his companion.

The two quickly entered the building, ignoring the large sign which read, ' _The New Greek and Roman Galleries_ '. As soon as they entered, both pulled off their hoods as an employee quickly approached them.

"Hello, is there anything that I can help you with?" It was a stocky, obese man who seemed to be balding prematurely. Acne scars were swelled across his cheeks and sweat stains were visible on his clothes.

The taller one quickly replied, "We're here for our class' field trip. Sorry that we're late, but traffic was terrible. As a result, we missed the bus and were forced to hitch a ride. If you could just point us in the right direction, sir, we would be thankful."

The obese man licked his lips, "You two are in sixth grade? You look like you could be in high school. You also don't sound like... sixth graders."

The shorter one, with the crutches, laughed, almost sounding like a horse. "No, don't worry, man. We both get that all the time. We're used to it. We were both held back and had early growth spurts - puberty hit us early, my friend."

The employee relaxed, fingers reaching towards his mouth, wiping away saliva. "Oh, good, good. Well, right now, your class is in the Ancient Greece area - very cool stuff in there." He pointed towards a hallway, "Follow that hall, take a left and then two rights. Do you need me to guide you?"

"No, don't worry about us, man. Thank you for your help. You've been invaluable."

The obese man perked up and beamed, turning towards another group who had just entered, whistling merrily.

"I can't believe that we're doing this again, Percy," the one with crutches said almost tiredly once they were alone. "Remember what the principal said? 'No more, you two!' Does that ring any bells? We could get expelled, and I know that you don't want to disappoint your mom."

Percy glared at him, pitch-black, slightly curled hair tumbling past his ears and to his eyebrows. "I know, all right? I know _,_  but I just have a… feeling. Plus, I'm worried about him, Grover."

Grover rolled his eyes, "You're always worried about him, my friend," his crutches clicked against the floor as they started walking. "You're not always going to be around to protect him, Percy. Someday, he's going to be out on his own in this world without you being there to look out after him; life happens, man. This is  _New York City_ , dangerous to the weak-willed."

Ignoring his friend, Percy motioned forward, "Come on, let's go,"

XxXxXxXxXxX

Shoes squeaking with every step, Percy slowly peered around a corner and saw a group of kids huddled together, staring at a statue of a man with what looked like a... lion's head. He narrowed his eyes and immediately relaxed when he saw the familiar form of his younger brother amongst the other kids.

He felt Grover stop next to him, his only friend's crutches scraping against the floor softly to assure their stealthy 'visit'. Grover shook himself like an animal and water sprayed Percy, flowing to the Museum's floor in a small puddle. Percy sighed and looked down at his clothes.

It had been raining heavily the entire morning, rain falling in a perpetual downpour. Both he and Grover's shoes were sopping wet and the sound of the monstrous morning rain was echoing everywhere, pinging off of the roof of the building like dropped bombs. He was almost worried that the rain would break through the roof for it seemed so strong _._

It had been that way for months, since Christmas, it seemed, constant thunderstorms, hurricanes, and earthquakes plaguing the world, killing thousands.

"Hey, is Jim picking us up?" Grover asked in a whisper. He was hunched on his crutches, neck leaning forward like a turtle.

Percy shook his head, "No, he can't do it. We'll need to find our own way back. He doesn't even like us; the only reason that he has helped us in the past was that of the time when I saved his kid from being hit by a bus."

"Well, I hope you have a plan then, Percy." Grover murmured, peering up at him through fur-like eyelashes. "While I don't mind ditching school - in fact _,_  I prefer it - we don't want your brother to find out. He's tired of you watching over him all the time. Remember last time?"

"I know, I know," he acquiesced, staring down at his only friend. He had met Grover earlier in the year and had been pleasantly surprised when a friendship had resulted from their mutual 'loner' mentality. It probably had helped that both had dyslexia and ADHD, nightmares academically for the school and teachers. In fact, Percy's mother had it and from what he had managed to piece together from various clues, Percy had realized that he and his brother's nonexistent, different fathers had both had it as well.

Grover, unfortunately, also had a disability that warped his spine, making him look like a hunchback. As a result, he couldn't walk without the aid of his crutches, forcing his arms to help carry his body.

It was a shame because Percy knew that if it weren't for his friend's disability, he would have been an excellent athlete like Percy himself. Despite easily being the most athletic kid in their school, Percy allowed himself to be overlooked, preferring to stay away from the other kids.

"Hey, look," Grover elbowed him harshly and Percy was reminded of how strong his friend was despite his unfortunate disability. "They're moving to the next exhibit."

He nodded and peered out around the corner, watching his brother shuffle forward with his group. Percy went to follow, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of something, almost like darkness _._

He slowly turned to his right and felt his features pale drastically. Mrs. Dodds, he and Grover's algebra teacher was glaring at him with murder carved into her ugly face. He swallowed and licked his suddenly dry lips. "Grover, we're utterly screwed."

His friend glanced up at him in bewilderment and then Grover saw Mrs. Dodds. "Oh, shit," he went limp against his crutches, "Man, I told you this was going to happen." He whined almost fearfully, sounding like a goat for a split second, blood drained from his features.

Percy hung his head in defeat and watched his teacher stalk towards them with a predatory gleam in her cold eyes. "Mr. Jackson, Mr. Underwood. Follow me and let us discuss your blatant absence from school today." She briskly stepped through them and with no further option, he and Grover followed.

She led them into an abandoned room, ancient replicas of weapons placed intermittently around the expanse. She slowly turned around and tilted her head to the side, "This is most unsurprising given your track records. I believe that this is over a dozen now, correct?" She smiled and Percy tensed at the sight of her sharp teeth. Before his eyes, they seemed to elongate into fangs so deadly that Dracula himself would have been green with jealousy. He blinked rapidly but the vision remained. "Now, I believe that you, Mr. Underwood, know who I am, correct?"

Grover suddenly shook like a cat in the rain, "N- …no, ma'am," he stuttered, looking more scared than Percy had ever seen him. "I… have no clue-"

"Enough!" Mrs. Dodds screeched and Percy swore that the glass in the room quivered. "My master has tasked me with finding you, Mr. Jackson, and ending you. You look  _just like him_. I have no idea how you have stayed out of their gaze for so long, and why you have no scent or aura, but no matter! I will do what I must - my master commands nothing less."

Percy stepped back slowly, "Mrs. Dodds, I can assure you that this is all one big misunderstanding. I don't believe for one second that Principal Gentz wants you to kill me." He chuckled nervously, noticing that Grover's shaking intensified, terror tangible.

"Not him _,_  you fool!" She exclaimed, "You will tell us where you've hidden it! If not, we can always use your brother as… sufficient motivation _._ "

"'Us'?" Grover asked shakily while Percy froze at his teacher's words. He suddenly realized that he no longer knew where his brother was at. The class field trip could have already ended!

"What… what do you mean _?"_  Percy whispered in fear, "What have you done with my brother?" His fists clenched and he felt something trying to rise within him like a mighty storm but it kept hitting an immovable wall. "Where  _is Athos?"_  He screamed.

Mrs. Dodds grinned savagely, a monstrous glint in her sulfur-filled eyes. "Why don't you ask him yourself, Mr. Jackson?" She snapped her fingers and before he and Grover's very eyes, the shadows in the room swirled in a dance of death.

Three forms appeared out of the darkness.

Percy swallowed as his little brother, his beloved, baby brother stared across at him with fear and anger. His bright eyes were filled with tears and several claw marks decorated his face, harshly marring his delicate features.

Grover cursed, "Percy, I didn't know _,_  man! I'm sorry!" He bleated like a goat, "Fuck! I should have known _._  Things were going too well for too long!"

"You knew about  _this?"_  Percy demanded, whirling on his friend, "You bastard!"

His friend paled, his thin, pubic-looking facial hair quivering. "No, no! I didn't know about Athos, man! You have to believe me. I always suspected that Mrs. Dodds was a Kindly One, but I had no idea that all three of them were here. Son of a bitch! We are absolutely fucked in every torturous way possible!"

"What the hell is going on?" Percy exclaimed, seeing the truth shine in his friend's grass-like colored eyes. "'Kindly One', you said. What the fuck is that?"

"No, man," Grover swallowed. "Who the fuck is that?"

"Tell us where you've hidden it!" Mrs. Dodds roared, her voice reverberating everywhere, "Where is the weapon?" The two others, who were holding his brother, stepped next to her, sharp claws held to Athos' jugular, an anticipatory gleam glowing in their malevolent orbs.

"What weapon?" Percy cried out, "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

Then Mrs. Dodds grinned, eyes flashing with the colors of hell. Before Percy's eyes, she tore through her own body, shedding the skin as a snake would.

Now, a large bat-like creature with leathery skin snarled at him, "Last chance, Jackson, or your dear baby brother will enter my master's realm forever!"

"Alecto!" A voice roared from behind and Percy whipped around, staring at the man in the wheelchair.

His jaw dropped, "Mr. Brunner?" He didn't fail to notice Grover sag in relief, features becoming less terrified.

"Let Athos Jackson go or I swear on the River Styx that I'll rip you to pieces!" Mr. Brunner threatened, thunder roaring across the heavens as he said it and Percy tried to process everything that was happening. His paralyzed history teacher vowed to rip Mrs. Dodds, his algebra teacher who had turned into a bat, to shreds because Percy's baby brother was being held by Mrs. Dodds' sisters.

It was a nightmare.

Mrs. Dodds or Alecto cackled in seeming genuine amusement, "You overestimate yourself, Chiron. You are a weak disgrace in the eyes of your siblings. Don't kid yourself, trainer. You could never defeat me."

Mr. Brunner wheeled closer and Percy noticed that his teacher's eyes were ancient. "Make no mistake, Alecto. I may be 'a weak disgrace' but  _he is not."_ His paralyzed teacher then pointed a strong finger directly at Percy. "Threatening his little brother, whom he had vowed to protect from the moment he had laid eyes on him, wasn't a smart decision." Percy blinked and wondered what the actual fuck was going on.

What were Mr. Brunner and Mrs. Dodds talking about? Why was Athos being held hostage by his insane algebra teacher and her sisters? Why was Grover not doing anything, and more importantly, why did Mr. Brunner believe that Percy could defeat three apparent bat creatures with claws?

"Jackson has no scent or aura, trainer." One of the women bellowed, a sharp claw beginning to dig into Athos' neck, making Percy stiffen. "If he was able to do anything, he would have already done so."

Mrs. Dodds glared at the woman, "Shut up, Megaera."

Mr. Brunner hummed, glancing at Percy curiously, "Yes, you're right," he murmured.

"Silence!" Mrs. Dodds suddenly gripped Athos by the back of the neck, effortlessly hoisting him in the air, her talons wrapping across his Adam's Apple. "He's stalling, sisters, hoping that someone will appear, but it is useless to pray for a miracle. Leave now without the half-bloods, Chiron, and our master will show you mercy."

"You are beaten, trainer!" The last woman laughed cruelly, eyes flashing with glee.

"Quiet, Tisiphone!" Mrs. Dodds growled.

Percy's history teacher sighed and his shoulders slumped, "I had hoped to convince you to be reasonable,"

Mrs. Dodds sneered. "A pointless endeavor,"

Mr. Brunner nodded, "I suppose, Alecto, but know this: whatever happens is on your head." In a blur of motion, Percy watched in disbelieving awe as a bow was pulled out of Mr. Brunner's wheelchair, and an arrow was fired all in the blink of an eye.

His algebra teacher's eyes widened and she was barely able to jerk away from a deadly strike, but she wasn't fast enough to avoid the arrow.

Mrs. Dodds howled in fury as the arrow embedded itself in her shoulder. She dropped Athos and Percy instinctively bolted forward, avoiding Megaera's sudden spiked tail that had appeared out of nowhere, vaulting over the poison-coated tips and landed next to his brother.

"Come on!" He cried out, "Run! Just run!" His brother was shaking greatly, eyes wide with shock and fear. Percy knew that it was up to himself to get them  _both_ out of here.

"Percy!" He whirled around, watching as Grover ran towards him like a donkey with a sword in each hand, crutches nowhere to be seen. "You need to fight!" His only friend rushed out, eyes wild with anxiety. "We can't defeat them without you! They are considered by some to be the queens of monsters - gifted life from the  _blood_   _of Ouranos himself!"_ He yelped and narrowly avoided a poisoned spike thrown by Tisiphone.

Grover abruptly lashed forward, leaping forward dozens of feet, cracks shaped like hooves appearing in the marble floor. He clashed with Tisiphone, visibly struggling against the demonic creature. Percy cursed and was about to enter the fray when Grover's hands glowed like wild nature. Then, animals appeared throughout the room, roaring as they all simultaneously helped Grover, aiding in the attack against Tisiphone.

Tisiphone screamed in fury and a wave of dark energy exploded out of her bat-like body, destroying all of the animals like flickering images, sweeping Grover from his feet.

Athos cried out in pain, "Percy, help!"

Percy saw the claws marks on his brother's face writhe, warping his cheekbones with death _._ He stumbled towards him, "Hold on! Don't worry, it will all be fine, okay?" He soothed, hoping that his uncertainty wouldn't be visible or audible.

To his relief, Athos believed him and nodded, "It hurts worse than when- behind you!" His eyes widened with unadulterated terror, an expression that Percy had never seen before carved into his little brother's innocent face.

He turned around just in time to see Megaera flying at him like a fallen star, fangs glistening with anticipation for the taste of blood. "Our master will discover where you've hidden it, Jackson!" She screeched, winds whipping towards Percy, who instinctively rolled to his right, towards Mr. Brunner's wheelchair. He dimly noticed Grover help Athos, trying to ward off two of the creatures and losing _._

"Percy!" His history teacher shouted over the furious roars of the  _creatures_ , "The pen in my pocket -  _take it!_  It will help you and your brother." His arms were blurring as he continuously fired arrow after arrow at what had been Mrs. Dodds.

Percy didn't question it and reached into his teacher's worn jacket, fingers grasping a smooth, throbbing object. He yanked it out, feeling something soothe his body, his mind _._ It was as if all his fears and anxiety faded away, leaving behind a new, ready canvas.

"Flick off the cap, my boy!" Mr. Brunner sounded exhausted and Percy knew that he didn't have much time. He could hear Athos' fearful whimpers and Grover's heaving breaths, the sounds filling his body with strength.

He snatched the cap off of the pen and narrowly avoided the long, majestic sword that sprang from the top of the object. He ignored the sheer impossibility of the situation and stood to his feet, bolting towards his brother and friend, roaring like an enraged beast.

Tisiphone and Megaera loomed over Athos and Grover, wounds littering his friend's body, blood pooled on the marble. Athos was shrunk behind Grover, eyes scrunched shut tightly, body shaking with terror. Grover weakly, but defiantly, glared up at the two demons and Percy was eternally grateful he had such a friend.

He screamed and leaped forward, feeling the rush of something trying but failing to release inside him again, like an explosion trapped inside a detonating grenade.

The two bat creatures spun around, forms standing about ten feet tall, disgusting, vile faces twisted with sadism. They rushed at him with a speed that no human could ever achieve and swiped their claws at his face.

Percy somehow narrowly ducked away from Tisiphone's talons and swiped his sword into Megaera's arm, watching in fascinated awe as it fell to the floor, dark black blood oozing from the limb.

She howled in rage and pain, "I will curse you, boy, inflicting unimaginable agony upon you in the Fields of Punishment!"

Tisiphone pivoted and her large, spiked tail blurred at his face, aching to cleave his head from his shoulders. Percy was barely able to raise the blade in time, feeling the hot blood splatter across his face as the tail was severed. He ignored the boiling feeling across his skin as best as he could and blitzed the screaming Tisiphone, ramming his sword through her chest.

Before his eyes, Tisiphone dissolved into golden dust with a hysterical, animalistic screech of defiance towards the heavens. He glanced down at the dust caking the marble floor and noticed several objects gleaming in contrast to the gold.

Percy cried out in pain as he was suddenly slammed from behind, sharp claws digging into his back. Megaera's teeth sank into his shoulder, "Nobody gets to hurt my sister but me!" She smashed his face into the floor, further injuring his seared face and then she flipped him over, blood pooling beneath him, drenching his shirt. "You will suffer, _son of_ -" she gasped abruptly as an arrow tore through her head, embedding in the wall. She gazed at him with utter hatred and suddenly dissolved into golden dust just as Tisiphone had previously.

"Percy!" Grover and Athos appeared in his vision, helping him to his feet, "We gotta get out of here!"

Mrs, Dodds laughter filled the room, echoing ominously. "Unless you want your beloved teacher to enter my master's realm, you will surrender, Jackson." She held Mr. Brunner, a crackling whip of dark, hellish energy wrapped around his body.

Percy watched Mr. Brunner shake his head, exhaustion carved into his face and Percy knew that that wasn't an option; Mr. Brunner had killed Megaera at the cost of his own survival.

"What do you want?" He called out hesitantly and wearily, feeling his shoulder and face throb with the memory of Megaera's attack. He clenched his fist around the sword, feeling it hum with pleasure.

Mrs. Dodds snarled and in a blur of motion, smashed Mr. Brunner into a pillar. Suddenly, she appeared in front of them, Athos held in her grip. "You know what I want, Jackson: the weapon for your brother. Which is it that you value more?" Her talons slowly dug into his little brother's delicate skin, making Athos whimper in pain.

Percy's vision tunneled and all that he could see was his beloved baby brother's face twisted in fear and agony, trauma carved deep into his bright eyes.

Something broke.

The feeling was intense and overwhelming; a lesser person would have feared it, but Percy embraced it like a lost sibling. With the rush of a tsunami, power flooded his body in a raging fire, running rampant through every vein and cell. He felt all his wounds heal instantly, but he didn't stumble or fall. No. In fact, he stood taller and stronger. It was as if a part of his soul had awakened from a forced slumber, his blood singing with the truth. He was no longer a blind painter, a deaf musician, or a tasteless chef; he felt alive for the first time in his life.

Mrs. Dodds looked ecstatic, "Finally, my master will reward me greatly _-_ " she didn't get the chance to finish as Percy roared and every dam that had ever kept this pure power at bay shattered. He zipped forward, running faster than he had ever thought possible and wrenched Mrs. Dodds talons away from Athos' neck with a sickening crunch. Then, he blurred his arm upward and sliced the sword straight through her other arm, watching almost contentedly as black blood gushed out in a small stream like a river.

He punched his fist straight into Mrs. Dodds face, the grinding of bones on his skin a sound of victory pounding in Percy's ears. He kicked her back with a devastating impact on her leathery chest, feeling her sternum quiver before his strength. His algebra teacher cried out in a raspy voice, pain carved into her snarling face. She stumbled several yards away in a heap of bat limbs.

The echo of deafening thunder roared across the heavens, sizzling lines of lightning flashing like veins. The winds howled above the Museum, rain pelting the roof like relentless gunfire, cracks appearing with every second passed.

Mrs. Dodds suddenly looked terrified _,_  bat-like face cracking with realization. The shadows in the room suddenly swirled and flew towards her in a last ditch effort and Percy instinctively knew that he couldn't allow that. He felt a massive, slightly painful tug in his gut and to his disbelief, lightning smashed through the roof in a shower of blinding light and stone, electrifying Mrs. Dodds.

Immediately upon contact, she screamed in agony and burst into flurries of golden dust.

It was over.

Percy fell to his knees as an exhaustion that he had never felt before poisoned his body, causing him to collapse, the sword transforming back into a regular pen, rolling out of his numb fingers and on to the floor soundlessly as gravity claimed Percy. Luckily, Grover caught him, but he soon felt the darkness beckoning like a selfless lover, and Percy welcomed the relief away from the weariness.

XxXxXxXxXxX

It was strange. Images blurred through his mind, condensing into an impossible collage which portrayed a world of gods and monsters, of  _immortals._  Through his mind's eye, Percy saw a massive throne room, infinitely dwarfing the size of a football field, a dozen majestic thrones circling the area in a 'U' formation.

The thrones were alive, seeming to dance in the light. The throne in the center was made out of lightning and air and clouds, built out of the sky itself. Percy glanced at the throne to the right of the center throne and saw pure roiling waters condensed into a throne. Every other throne was supernatural in the same ways, created out of the impossible.

In the center of the thrones, hardly visible unless one focused, a crackling hearth seeped warmth into Percy's soul. Sitting in front of the beautiful, blazing fire, a young girl of about eight years old stared into the flames. Her hands were inside the hearth and Percy began to panic, but then he noticed that the girl wasn't in any pain. Rather, it seemed that she was content.

Suddenly, the girl turned her head, staring directly at him with an intensity that stole his breath. Her face was regal with fiery freckles peppered across her cheeks, adding allure to her appearance. Warm brown hair cascaded down the girl's back and her skin glowed under the light of the fire. Percy realized that despite this girl only being eight years old at most, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. She was flawless and radiated elegance and beauty.

He swallowed as his eyes connected with her own. He had always been ashamed of his pure white orbs. He had no iris or pupil - only an unnatural glowing white sclera that made him loathe his eyes. Now, looking at this girl, he somehow didn't feel ashamed any longer. Her own eyes were just like his own except the color - flaming embers roared in her orbs, flickering with fire.

The girl's lips twitched in a small smile and she nodded slightly towards her left and Percy slowly sat down next to her, somehow feeling completely at ease with the girl. The hearth was soothing and calm, washing away any lingering anxiety like an irritating speck of dust.

She didn't speak for several moments, but when she did, it was with a voice filled with kindness. "Your life is going to change in ways you cannot fathom, Perseus." She said softly, "Your power is now too great for your mother and me to contain. With your brother growing as well, it would be impossible to conceal either of you any longer."

"Wait, what?" He leaned back slightly, "Is this about the… Museum? Surely, that was just a… nightmare. And who are you? What is this place? If it's a dream, then it's the strangest setting I've ever encountered and that's saying something because my dreams are…  _weird._ "

The girl sadly shook her head, "We both know that it wasn't a nightmare, nephew. I am a friend and this place  _is_ real, a realm forgotten by the world and forced into legend."

Percy blinked, trying to understand, "Then why am I in this place that no longer exists in the eyes of the world? What the hell is going on? Can you please give me some details?"

The girl seemed to ignore him, staring at him solemnly. "You've been gifted something precious, something that most in your position could never dream of: a normal life. Your mother did everything, and I mean absolutely everything in her power and abilities to keep you and your little brother ignorant and safe for as long as she possibly could until the Fates deemed it time. Normally, a situation like in the Museum today, which  _was_ real _,_  would have happened years ago." She grabbed his hand, cradling it gently and softly, her warm flesh calming his warring mind. "You must now wake up, nephew," her fiery eyes darted from side to side in what looked like nervousness. "By now, they all know of your existence, and there is nowhere on heaven or earth where they can't find you."

"What is going on?" He asked desperately, "Please, just tell me. I don't know what to do. Who's 'they' and why would 'they' care about me?"

"There's no time, my dear," she squeezed his hand, urgency suddenly carved into her divine features. Percy didn't get a chance to ask her what she meant as the girl suddenly stood up and gently kissed his forehead. "You must awaken and I promise that my brother will answer your questions. Soon, everything will be revealed to you, nephew, so be patient and  _wake up."_

He shot up from the floor with a gasp, eyes wide as he wildly searched for the girl only to be met with fearful and concerned gazes of Athos, Grover, and Mr. Brunner.

Athos' eyes brightened intensely, practically blinding, and he rushed into his chest, arms squeezing with strength. "I thought- …you didn't die!" He shuddered against Percy's chest, "What's going on, Percy?" His baby brother pleaded, tears soaking his shirt, and Percy was filled with rage. His eyes darted towards his history teacher.

"What the fuck is going on, Mr. Brunner or Chiron or whatever the flying fuck your name is?" He jumped to his feet, Athos still hugging him tightly, "Start talking."

Mr. Brunner sighed and he glanced around, eyes wildly roaming the room. "I cannot answer your questions now, Percy. I can sense that your aura and scent is no longer suppressed. Now, every monster in the country will be drawn to you like bees to honey, all salivating with the unholy desire to consume your blood. You and Athos must flee to the Camp - Grover will guide you!" He hissed out, looking fearful and Percy knew that whatever the hell was going on was deadly serious.

Athos lurched even further into his body, trying to find sanctuary from the nightmare, "I want to go home," he said against his chest. "I want mom."

"Excellent idea, young Athos." Mr. Brunner interrupted, "If you all wish to make it to Camp, your mother's services will be required. Also, I need to… question her when you arrive _._ "

Grover paled, "Why does it sound like that you won't be helping us reach Camp?"

Mr. Brunner rolled back in his wheelchair, "Because I won't be - I can sense the Fates' decree; they have deemed it necessary for this trial to be undertaken alone without my aid _._  My hands are tied, Grover, for we both know the inability of anyone to undermine the Fates' command. This is a trial you all must burden alone." He closed his eyes and then to Percy's disbelief, vanished like smoke.

He licked his suddenly dry lips, still trying to wrap his mind around everything, "Grover, you knew about all of this?"

His friend winced, "That's why I was enrolled in your school. Because of my heritage," he gestured to his covered legs as if they were visible, as if it explained everything. Percy couldn't help but stare at his best friend in bemusement while holding his brother close, "I can sense half-bloods - just like all Satyrs. The moment when I met you, I could feel that you were one of us, a half-blood, but there was no tingling sensation - unprecedented by all accounts I'd ever heard. I quickly alerted Chiron and when he arrived, he immediately ceased his duties at Camp whence he saw your appearance."

"Why?" Percy demanded, "What the hell does that mean? Mrs. Dodds and those freaks said something similar. What am I not being told? What else are you keeping from me, from us?"

Before Grover could try to answer, a green flash blinded them all temporarily and an overpowering odor of pine needles filled Percy's nostrils.

Athos leaped from his arms, "Mom!" He ran towards the middle of the room and Percy turned around just in time to see his mother engulf his little brother in her arms, kissing his head.

"Oh, I feared the worst when…" she trailed off as her vibrant green eyes connected with Percy's. "I'm sorry," she whispered with such anguish that Percy immediately ran towards her, placing his hand on her tense shoulder, "I was too selfish _._  I should have never allowed it to come to this _."_  She threaded her fingers through Athos' soft, messy hair. "Forgive me, my precious sons. Your lives have just transformed into… a curse."

Grover coughed loudly, "Hey! I really hate to interrupt, but we need to leave! The King of the fucking Underworldis after you, Percy!" Suddenly, his friend's swords vibrated and his crutches then reappeared, taking the place of the swords. Then, without even hesitating, Grover ripped off his pants.

Furry legs that were buckled like a donkey assaulted Percy's eyes and he blinked, trying to process the vision of his best friend who was apparently half of a farm animal.

Athos' bright eyes widened, "Wow! Grover! You- …your legs! They're like an animal's!"

Grover nodded half-mindedly. "Yeah, yeah, I know, but we can discuss this later, okay?"

"Man, what exactly are you, dude?" Percy's question floated in the air.

"That doesn't matter right now, my friend."

Percy's jaw dropped, "It doesn't matter?" He exclaimed, "From the waist down, my best friend is a fucking donkey!" He cried out, arms waving. "You're literally an ass!"

Grover bleated sharply, sounding like the animal he obviously was, "You're the one who's acting like an ass, now! GOAT! I'm a fucking goat from the waist down, Percy!"

"You just said that it didn't matter." Athos pointed out, staring at Grover's legs in fascination.

"To me _,_  it doesn't matter, but there are Satyrs who would gladly trample you both underhoof for the perceived insult. It's just a warning; when we arrive at Camp, you need to be careful - you never know who is listening. Oh, before I forget, that pen that Mr. Brunner gave you will always return to your pocket - it's charmed and a powerful weapon." Grover glanced around as Percy checked his pockets and he swallowed as he felt the pen jutting out of his pocket slightly. His friend bleated and stamped his hooves _._ "While I would love to continue this lovely, enlightening discussion, we gotta go, and I mean now, like right now!"

Percy's mom quickly nodded her head and slowly stood to her feet and Percy noticed the fatigue lining her face and actions. She placed a glowing green hand on Athos' forehead and a blinding light highlighted the room. Then, after a moment, it dimmed and his mother stumbled, falling into Percy's arms. He dimly noticed that his brother's eyes were brighter, practically blinding with radiance.

"What's wrong? What is it?" He asked. "What did you do? How did you do that?"

She smiled tiredly, "The backlash of you and your brother's… awakening took its toll, but don't worry. I'll be fine," she stood up.

"How did you get here?" Athos asked, staring up at their mother with bright, scared, haunted eyes. "And why do I feel different?"

"I teleported with my magic," she said softly. "I know that you both have questions, but now isn't the time. Once we arrive at Camp, answers will be given."

"Come on, daylight is fading!" Grover cried out, gathering all of the objects on the floor left from where the demonic creatures had died. They must have been… trophies. "Sally, can you teleport all of us to the Camp?"

"No, it's exhausting to teleport with another person, nonetheless four _._ " She glanced around the room and quickly waved a hand, and out of nowhere _,_  a large sack with sturdy strings of what looked like pure lightning appeared in her hands. She glanced at him and tossed it. Percy caught it unconsciously, staring at the lightning straps, remembering the lightning that had killed Mrs. Dodds because he had commanded it.

"I made it for you when you were just a babe, prepared for when you would enter this cursed world. It has infinite storage," she looked towards Athos, "and there is another for Athos." She pulled out a bright sack, glowing like a powerful flashlight, and tossed it to his brother. She smiled brokenly, "Good, now we can leave."

XxXxXxXxXxX

The scenery blurred by as Percy stared through the window, fingers clenching and unclenching in rhythm with his heartbeat. In his other hand, the pen-sword that Mr. Brunner had given him was twirled between his fingers with expert precision. His mother was driving while Grover and Athos sat in the back, his brother asleep against his seatbelt, his new glowing sack his makeshift pillow, small droplets of drool spilling onto the gift. The brightness didn't bother his brother. In fact, he seemed to take comfort from it.

Grover was chewing an apple, crutch-swords lying against his shoulder, and reading a magazine, obviously trying to remain oblivious to the tension in the car.

After leaving the Museum, to everyone's disbelief, Percy's mom had somehow pulled a beautiful sports car out of nowhere. Now, for the past hour, the trip to whatever Camp she and Grover and Mr. Brunner kept alluding to had commenced.

Percy's fist clenched tightly and he could feel it, the lightning under his skin, begging to be unleashed. He felt a power inside him, one that had never been there until Mrs. Dodds. In his lap, the sack lay across his legs, the lightning straps only making him more furious. He looked back out the window.

Wind slammed against the car, battering it relentlessly. Bullets of rain lashed everywhere, reverberating in his ears almost painfully. Flashes of lightning and thunder erupted in a colossal display of power, bringing peace to Percy's soul.

He felt connected to the chaos outside of the vehicle. As if they were part of his very being.

"How are you feeling?" His mother asked quietly, looking at him in concern.

Percy sighed, "I feel incredible, better than ever. I feel invincible, unstoppable, powerful _._ "

"That's how it tends to feel, it's part of the curse."

"What curse?" He snapped and noticed Grover flinch in the backseat, "Would you just tell me? All these sly maneuvers to avoid the question aren't going to fly any longer! Just, for the love of everything peaceful, tell me."

His mother's eyes squeezed shut and she shuddered, "This is about your father and Athos', Percy, and who they are, what they represent."

"My father is dead, you told me that yourself. I barely remember Athos' dad, I was like two-and-a-half-years-old." He pointed out quietly, "Are you saying that that was a lie? Is my father alive? What about Athos' father?"

She swallowed, "Your father is alive, Percy, and so is Athos'. I kept you both hidden for as long as I possibly could and received aid from a family member."

Percy blinked and remembered that strange dream, "The girl helped you," he whispered. "She called me 'nephew' and shit. Who is she?"

"She's your aunt."

He glared at her, "Of course she's my aunt! What's her name? Why won't you tell me, tell us the truth?"

"The truth isn't simple, Percy. It's convoluted and peculiar to-"

"You're stalling!" He interrupted, feeling something crunch in his hand. He looked down and saw the handle to the door mangled in his grip, almost unrecognizable. He pulled away as if burned and stared at it in horror.

"I never wanted this cursed existence to lay claim to you and your brother, Percy." His mother said softly, unperturbed by the mangled handle. "The Fates are never kind. …The truth is blood-soaked and abhorrent, only imagined in the minds of the truly deranged."

Percy gently squeezed his mom's hand, afraid that he would crush it like he had the door handle, "I still want to hear it. A truth is better than a lie, even if it's painful."

His mom laughed almost brokenly, "I suppose you're correct," she quieted and patted his hand softly. "You have made me so proud and I know that…" she trailed off and her eyes wildly looked everywhere, glaring at the mirrors with an intensity to rival the sun.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked hesitantly. Suddenly, he heard a deep bellow from behind the vehicle, like that of an enraged, ravenous predator.

Grover suddenly stiffened and he quivered, "Dí  _immortals,_ " he whispered. "I've never felt such a raw, hateful aura. Not even from the Kindly Ones." He quickly shook Athos awake, "Hey, wake up, buddy. We're going to get out soon _,_  so rise and shine!"

Percy then looked out the back of the car, above Grover and Athos and felt his jaw drop as a hulking figure's shadow was visible in the pale moonlight. It was easily over ten feet tall and it looked like it had a large helmet with two horns attached sprouting off its massive head.

His gaze snapped to his mom as she slammed her foot into the accelerator, lurching the vehicle forward even faster. Percy watched the speedometer pass well over one hundred miles and he glanced back out the back, paling when he noticed the hulking figure growing larger in his vision. Suddenly, small, powerful earthquakes rumbled across the road.

The creature was running and gaining on them, his very steps shaking the ground itself.

"Sally, look out!" Grover screamed and Percy's world shuddered as the car abruptly smashed into something _._  The feeling of weightlessness, like flying through the air, poisoned his limbs, not allowing him to react as his face lurched forward and smashed into the dashboard, sparks flying sporadically.

Strangely, there was no pain from the impact. It was like he had hit a pillow - weird.

He slowly peeled his face away and stared down at the imprint of his features stained onto the dashboard. He blinked and looked around, noticing many things at once.

A bulking tree, dozens of feet in diameter had landed in front of the car, causing them to crash into it. The entire front of the car was mangled, gnarled beyond any repair. The windshield was gone and rain poured into the car, drenching the two in the front. His mom was obviously dazed, slowly trying to open the car door, but failing badly. Grover and Athos were sprawled in the back, looking none the worse, only large bruises blossomed across their faces.

"Hurry!" His friend screamed, "He's coming!" Suddenly, Grover bucked like an animal and his hooves smashed the back door off its hinges, the sound of metal being crumpled echoing in the night. He quickly began to climb out, the smell of a powerful storm filling everyone's nostrils.

Athos sniffled, "I'm scared," his voice faltered and Percy looked at his little brother, noticing the unusual pale coloring, the terrified eyes.

"It's going to be okay, you're going to be okay, all right?" He soothed and reached back, gripping the seatbelt and with the power surging through his blood, he effortlessly ripped it away like a tattered piece of cloth. "Now, follow Grover, okay? He can help you while I help mom. Can you do that, buddy?" His brother nodded and scampered out of the vehicle, following Grover, his glowing sack gripped tightly in his hands.

Percy ripped off his own seat belt and focused on helping his mother. A bloody wound to her forehead met his eyes and he clenched his fists. "Mom, can you hear me?"

His mother shuddered, tongue darting out to wet her lips, "Percy," she croaked out. "You must enter the Camp. It's only…" she trailed off, her eyes staring into the still-usable side mirror with utter fear.

He looked back and in a flash of screeching lightning, through the cracked, mud-splattered rear windshield, Percy saw a behemoth trudge toward them, its steps cracking the road like eggshells. Now that he could see clearly, he realized that he had been wrong earlier; the figure was much larger - over fifteen feet tall.

Before his very eyes, a monster straight out of the Ancient Greek textbooks that Mr. Brunner was so fond of hulked into his life.

The Minotaur.

The creature was enormous, dwarfing the biggest bouncers in the world like they were small insects. Muscles were draped all over the monster's body like a second pair of clothes, like bowling balls harshly forced beneath his thick, vein-webbed skin. It made every man that Percy had ever seen on  _Men's Fitness_  magazines look like anorexic children.

Its neck was a destructive mass of muscle and blood-matted fur leading up to its massive head, which had a snout that looked almost as long as their car itself. Foaming nostrils with a gleaming, blood-colored brass ring breathed pure smoke and what even looked like embers. Spiked-bones sprouted from its skin across its shoulders, layering his body with armor. Its mouth was permanently set in a menacing snarl, large teeth similar to Mrs. Dodds' gleaming in the moonlight with blood. Finally, it's blood-stained horns looked to be sharp enough to raze the world with a single strike, and in one of its beefy hands, a large, pulsing, powerful hammer was gripped tightly, the anticipation of the kill gleaming across the metal.

"Um… mom?" He called out softly, "That's the Mino-"

"Pasiphae's son," his mother interrupted, beginning to heal as Percy watched his mother's bloody wound glow bright green. Then, it faded and the skin was fresh and pink.

Percy then quickly helped his mom out of the car, realizing that they were the prey in this impossible situation. They began to run, "I see Grover and Athos." He called out, "They're at the top of the hill about three hundred yards ahead. They're just standing there," he felt his sack hang off his back, doing nothing to ease his anxiety.

His mother huffed out a breath, "There safe and that's what matters. Now, we need to get you to join them." Their steps sloshed through water, creating much noise but it was unavoidable.

"You too, mom," Percy hissed out adamantly, guessing his mother's line of thought, "I refuse to leave you. You're coming with me, with us _."_ He squeezed her hand.

"The Fates are never kind, my beautiful boy."

Percy ignored his mom and tugged her forward, not failing to notice that the Minotaur had passed the wrecked vehicle. They kept running, and Percy tried to grasp that feeling that he had had in the Museum when he blurred towards Mrs. Dodds, but it was out of reach. He could feel the power under his skin, throbbing with tension, but he couldn't hold it! All the power that he could grasp was only the memory of that feeling, but it was nowhere near enough!

The Minotaur bellowed in rage and suddenly, the earthquakes intensified a hundredfold, creating massive shockwaves as the creature abruptly bolted forward, animalistic roars echoing.

Percy gasped and realized that they weren't going to make it. With every step they took, the Minotaur was able to take over ten _._  The scales were uneven and the power under his skin refused to release! He didn't know how to control it!

They were still about a hundred yards away when his mom halted, swiping her hand away from his, "Go and don't look back," she said quietly, but somehow audible over the deafening shrieks of lightning, thunder, and the Minotaur.

"No, no, no!" He shouted, "Don't you fucking dare, mom." He would have  _n_ e _ver_  cursed at his mother, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Don't do it. I can save you; I can and I will, mom." He desperately glanced at the hill, "Come on, I can get us there; I can save us,  _save you!"_

His mom's lips curled in a soft, gentle smile. "But you already have, Percy. You've already saved me. Without you, my life would have  _never_  had meaning or joy or purpose or love _._  The greatest gift that the Fates ever gave me was you - and your brother, too. You've both done so much for my life, so let me return the gift, my beloved son. Now go and live." With that, she suddenly sprinted towards the Minotaur and Percy could do nothing to stop her - he was too shocked, too distraught _._

Percy slowly felt his body begin to continue towards the top of the hill, his wet steps slapping loudly like a gunshot, but his eyes were riveted on his mother, his brave, loving, and kind-hearted mother.

She raced down the hill, green lights dancing across her hands beautifully. The Minotaur's head was down, blazing forward with its blood-stained horns pointed at his mother with the intention of a gruesome slaughter, every step rippling across the area like a curse.

He saw his little brother trying to run back down, but Grover thankfully kept him from doing so, one arm gripping Athos' arm with intensity.

Percy whipped his head back and felt his body stop moving, completely frozen in the ankle-deep water, as his eyes befell an image that shook him to his core.

His mother's hands were held over her head, her shoulders hunched almost painfully as a green wall of shimmering energy exploded from her fingertips. A wave rolled towards the Minotaur in a tsunami, dwarfing the creature's immense size.

The creature bellowed, the sound causing the water soaking the green grass to quiver, and the Minotaur ran even faster, torrents of fire shooting out of its nostrils in a showcase of impending death. With a mighty roar that seemed to shake the air itself, the monster smashed through the wave of energy with a resounding  _crack._

A shockwave exploded across the area, causing Percy to stumble as he fell to his knees, the water drenching his clothes even further. He saw his mother waver, weariness tangible.

The Minotaur violently shook its head for several moments, trying to readjust its equilibrium. Then, with an enraged, prolonged cry, it blurred towards Percy's mother.

Percy gasped and bolted to his feet, ignoring the sloshing water around his ankles. "Mom!" He screamed as the Minotaur advanced, looming over his mother as death's incarnate.

He knew there was nothing that he could do; his mother was about to die before his very eyes. The power buzzed beneath his skin like an angry beast, but nothing would happen! The power refused to aid him!

The Minotaur burst through his mother's body, but no blood sprayed into the soaked grass. Rather, the image of his mother flickered like a dying television screen and then vanished.

Thunder boomed across the sky as the Minotaur sniffed and hunched its head, looking like a bemused dog. Percy was doing no better; what the hell had just happened?

Where was his mother? Was she… dead?

Suddenly, a bright flash of green light and his mom was leaping onto the Minotaur's back, a deadly-sharp knife wedged into its neck. Percy smiled in relief and watched as the monster bellowed in frustration and pain before bucking wildly, trying to dislodge his mother whom held in the weapon with all her strength, sparks of green attacking the creature.

Percy walked closer, beginning to feel anxious when the Minotaur continued to buck and buck and buck _._  The knife was being repeatedly jabbed into the creature's neck, but it only seemed to make it angrier.

Abruptly, the Minotaur jumped into the air, the force cracking the ground with spiderwebs, and the monster reached the tips of towering trees and Percy felt his heart go still as the creature plummeted back down to the ground like a streaking comet. He could glimpse his mother being held in place by the Minotaur's hammer, painfully stretched across the creature's beefy neck onto his mom's head. The gleaming metal was glowing, seeming to keep her from teleporting like she had done previously - a dampener.

"Mom!" He screamed in despair as he knew the inevitable, the truth - his mother was going to die.

The Minotaur smashed into the ground with the force of a meteor, shaking the entire forest area like a nuclear bomb. Water exploded from the ground towards Percy in relentless waves of energy, but he just stood there, feeling the water harmlessly bypass him. He watched through sightless eyes as the monster stood up unharmed, howling with joy, the howl of an animal who had captured its prey.

His mother's broken and desecrated body decorated the crater that the Minotaur had created. Her eyes were glazed over, bones flattened to the point of nonexistence. Then, she dissolved, melting into the very inky darkness of the night, a shimmering green and golden form, as if she were a goddess.

He heard his little brother scream in agony, his wailing cry snapping through the suddenly silent forest like a detonated bomb. A flash of radiant light exploded behind Percy, but he didn't look.

A swift and terrible rage, the likes of which he had never experienced, flooded through Percy's body, making ever cell buzz with hate _._  He noticed that he began to shake and felt the bitter tears spill down his face in globs of misery. He unconsciously pulled out the pen and flicked off the cap, basking his features in a malevolent light, the sword glowing under the flash of lightning.

Images flashed through his mind, memories of his loving mother, the one person in the entire world who had always been there for him, had always loved him no matter how much he had fucked up.

His fist clenched painfully, his nails drawing blood, but he didn't care. There was only one thing that he cared about: avenging his mother.

Percy dimly noticed the water slowly swirl around his ankles, as if cowering before his unholy rage. He felt the power inside him and hated himself even more. He should have, could have saved his mother if he had been able to control the power, but he couldn't do it because he was a failure.

His thoughts slowed down and a monstrous roar of thunder and lightning flashed across the heavens, alighting the forest with a brightness that was painful.

The Minotaur was hiking up the hill, hammer waving in its hand, blood staining its body like a pair of clothes. As it noticed Percy standing there, it bellowed and rushed forward, the lust for more blood overwhelming the animal.

Time stood still.

Percy screamed with all the sorrow and hate raging in his heart, and exploded down the hill, blazing down in a streak of lightning. With every step, he felt stronger as the sky itself seemed to give him power, crackling with the intensity of the sun itself.

He smashed into the creature, sending them both tumbling down the hill. Percy jammed the blade repeatedly into the creature's stomach with multiple satisfying  _squelches._  Dark, boiling blood splattered across his body as the Minotaur bellowed in pain, black eyes flashing with the promise of pain. "You will suffer _,_  you diabolical fucker! You killed her, the only one who always supported me and loved me!" Percy screamed, sadistic emotions flowing through his body.

The Minotaur howled and smacked the sword away just as Percy reared forward to stab the monster again. The sword fell to the ground and Percy wasn't able to avoid the mind-shattering punch from the Minotaur. He was smacked back dozens of yards, head ringing, but the rage in his heart swelled, granting him strength.

Percy quickly jumped to his feet, ignoring the pain and tackled the Minotaur, squeezing his fingers into the creature's skull, beginning to feel the bones beneath the blood-matted fur quiver and  _crack._

The monster roared, eyes flashing with death and Percy was wholly unprepared for the bone-busting, black-energy pulsing hammer to collide with his ribs.

He was flung like a rag doll hundreds of yards away and he felt all of the ribs on his right side shatter, but the pain was fleeting as they healed, mending within seconds.

The ground shook as the Minotaur barreled at him with murder carved into its snarling, disgusting face, horns pointed straight at his chest.

Percy smiled almost evilly as he somehow instinctively levitated off the ground, watching the creature zip under him with an enraged bellow.

He didn't give himself a chance to hesitate as he zoomed down into the monster, smashing into its back painfully. Percy quickly gripped one of the Minotaur's horns with both hands. The image of his mother's broken body haunted his eyes and with a snarl, Percy ripped the horn out of the monster's head, torrents of black blood gushing out of the gruesome hole from where the horn used to be.

The Minotaur screamed and leaped onto its back, breaking several of Percy's ribs again and knocking the air out of his lungs. The creature stumbled to its feet and Percy sat up, feeling the jagged bone in his hand, the size of his entire arm - a perfect, poetic weapon.

He stood up, gazing at the monster with satisfaction, its whimpers of pain soothing his bleeding soul. He felt all of his physical wounds heal, and he gripped the horn, watching as the Minotaur bellowed, shaking the ground, and turned around, eyes flashing with absolute hatred just like Percy's own.

Man and monster faced each other, over twenty-five yards distance, but the overwhelming fury between them was suffocating.

As if a signal was launched, both rushed forward in a last ditch effort, in the last, final stand.

Percy felt the thunder, the lightning in the sky and he  _called it down_ , feeling it spasm through his makeshift weapon, brightening his features into a hateful snarl.

He and the Minotaur both leaped forward at the same time.

Just as Percy sank the lightning-sizzling horn through the Minotaur's face, the monster's hammer smashed into Percy's head with the force of ten thousand punches.

They both fell to the ground bonelessly and the last sight that Percy saw through his pain-hazed eyes was that of his mother's murderer dispersing into golden dust.

Then, nothing.

XxXxXxXxXxX

He recognized the room immediately for it was where he had last woken up after Mrs. Dodds. It looked exactly the same, except there were twelve enormous men and women sitting erect in the massive thrones, absolute power radiating from each and every throne-bearer, each and every being bickering amongst themselves, warily maneuvering their attention to one another.

In the middle of the thrones, he saw his 'aunt' sitting in front of the hearth completely alone. She tilted her head almost imperceptibly and nodded towards him slightly, looking completely at ease.

None of the other… men and women seemed to notice Percy's arrival at the place forced into legend by the world. He froze as he quickly realized that he himself was the very the topic of conversation: the boy who had triumphed over the Minotaur with wavy black hair and had been traveling with three others.

The man in the centerstage throne suddenly smashed his lightning-coated fist into his throne, roars of absolute deafening thunder screeching in rage. Percy almost blacked out from the  _sheer_  noise and power. He managed to keep his eyes open and that's when he finally took in the man's appearance.

The man seemed as tall as large forests themselves, dwarfing the Minotaur easily. He was impossibly handsome, radiating beauty that Percy was in awe of. The man's sheer presence was daunting, seeming to overpower everyone in the room at the same time. The man was perfectly-proportioned and immensely muscular, his muscles all coiled tighter than any snake in existence. The man's hair was a lustrous white, tumbling past his shoulders, making him look even more imposing. The man's full beard was just as white, coating his face beautifully. His cheekbones were strong and his lips full and the man's whole face was broad, and Percy swallowed as he gazed at the man's eyes.

The same as his own - pure white orbs shined like a blazing star, burning with colossal power.

Percy suddenly, somehow knew that that man was his father. Despite the white hair and beard, the man was a picture-perfect, photocopy of Percy himself.

"Silence!" The man who Percy instinctively knew was his father roared, causing all side conversations, all arguments to cease. "I will not allow your accusations to continue."

The man sitting on the right of whom Percy believed was his father raised an eyebrow, looking completely calm, yet deadly serious as well. "You must admit, brother, that the similarities are astounding. He couldn't pass for anyone else's child save your own, don't you think? It's funny, isn't it?" The man leaned forward, perfectly-sculpted chin jerked in the air, "Another child whom you have sired - breaking the Oath for the third time - has been sighted and yet I have kept my word."

A beautiful woman sitting erect on a throne of scrolls snorted, arms crossing over her chest, eyes analytically seeking to wound with the sharpest words. "Most surprising for a conniving, whoring nuisance, and a heartless-"

The man slowly turned his gaze to the woman who had just spoken and Percy shivered at the turbulent seas rolling in the man's eyes, looking like pooling orbs of the ocean themselves. Even the woman looked unsettled but it was expertly hidden beneath a facade of arrogance. The man smiled coldly, "I am in no mood for your snark, niece. The fact remains that my brother violated the agreement of the Big Three thrice and I demand recompense. Also, if we all happen to remember, our weapons - the most powerful in creation - have been stolen by an unnamed enemy." The man glared at Percy's father, "You have done nothing since sending Ares, Hercules, Apollo, Athena, Hermes, and all your immortal children on a fool's crusade to find only your weaponexcept to order innocent half-bloods to conduct impossible Quests and point your blood-drenched fingers at myself and our elder brother. So, why don't you actually do something, air-for-brains?"

Percy watched his father glower at the man who claimed to be his brother, "I am the King of-"

"And I am the King of Atlantis, ruler of the oceans, seas, and every body of water that Pontus created when he fell." The other man cut him off, smiling unpleasantly, "Hades is King of the Underworld, the dead, and so on. You are not the only one who is a King. You would be wise to remember that while you defeated father, it was I and Hades who aided you when nobody else would. Without your two older brothers, you wouldn't be sitting on your throne, nor achieved victory over the Titans _._  I think I can safely speak for my arrogant, bicker-prone niece when I say that it would be most unwise to plot war against me or Hades, brother _._  Because if I am provoked, I will not hesitate to drown Olympus itself… and every one of its inhabitants."

Percy's father shuddered out a harsh breath, the air itself quivering from the movement. "I have not, nor will I ever forget the priceless gift of your's and Hades' assistance when we all dethroned father and divided creation amongst ourselves." He drew in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, "You have been invaluable, my greatest ally since our triumph." The two brother's eyes locked, "That boy is not my son; it's impossible."

Percy glanced at the beautiful woman sitting next to his father, swallowing as the unholy indignation howled in her eyes, crackling across her features with untamable might. "You cheating, man-whoring bastard!" She shrieked, the sound making the marble crack. "Don'tlie! His aura is your aura! He looks exactly like you except for his black, curled hair. The lightningexplains it all! You cannot outwit yourself from this, oath-breaker! Must I kill all of the disrespectful bastards whom you father, the ones who are bore through the women who have caused you to stray from our marriage bed for countless centuries, since the end of the Titans _?_ " Her face was cold and her blazing eyes even colder, beautiful yet deadly: a woman scorned.

The temperature in the room dropped, causing Percy to shiver uncontrollably, watching as the other men and women, save his father's 'brother', swallowed, nervously adjusting themselves in their thrones. His father stood to his feet, lightning dancing across his body. "You presume much _,_  my wife, and you are bold, quite stupidly so. That boy is not of my blood; I have norecollection of the boy's mother. Everyone knows that gods don't forget, Hera." He stepped closer, each step the sound of thunder itself, "Your ostentatious need, your unwilling obstinacy, has hardened your once-tender heart. You are what the mortals call a 'bitch', my spiteful wife _._ You do not control me, Hera, and you never will. I am Zeus, King of the gods!" The sound of lightning erupted in waves of a deafening screech, "And I could cast you off Olympus! Your notorious _,_ vengeful, life-threatening promises hold no weight against me!"

Percy closed his pure white orbs, the realization blinding him greater than any ray of sun. All the pieces condensed together into the abhorrent image until all that remained was the truth. Mr. Brunner had forced him to study the Olympian legends during class, focusing on Percy with an intensity that he finally understood.

He was the son of Zeus, a demigod whose very existence was a personal slight against the Queen of the Heavens. He was literally standing on Olympus, home of the gods!

He felt woozy from every epiphany flashing through his mind.

"Be that as it may," the man on Zeus' right spoke once again and Percy gathered the clues from the man's features, position, earlier words, and throne. That man was Percy's uncle - Poseidon. "You have been known to dabble in Dionysus' collection. His alcohol could have… intoxicated you like a mortal." Poseidon's brows rose mockingly and Percy admired that. "Also, your son has yet to gather that his own brother is like him; sounds quite like his dim-witted father." Percy blinked and felt insulted. Of course, he knew that Athos was like him; his mother had said as much.

"Enough, brother!" Zeus' fury was tangible and the entire throne room shook. "I swear on the River Styx that that boy is not my son." Percy, despite his best efforts, felt hurt by his father's apparent disgust with him, the cruel way that Zeus had just disavowed him despite the obvious truth.

A woman's chilling laughter suddenly echoed through the area, causing everyone to swivel, including Percy himself, to see a beautiful, pale woman step out of the shadows. Her skin roiled with dark, murky water, but in her eyes, Percy could somehow catch glimpses of the secrets that she alone knew.

She was dreadfully beautiful and the woman graciously stepped fully into the light, "How foolish you are, King of the gods." Her laughter was bright and genuine. "This is the fourth time that you have broken an Oath on my waters which pertains to any of your blood and the second time in a result of that boy."

Zeus stepped forward and Percy suddenly fell to his knees soundlessly, the sheer power that his father was emitting was like the weight of the entire world. "You dare threaten me, the King of Olympus?"

The woman waved a watery hand, laughing merrily, "No, no, not at all, King of the gods, the greatest of immortals. I have no desire to a banishment in Tartarus itself nor to fade if the Fates are unkind." She smiled, "Not you, Zeus. I would never attempt such a foolish act by threatening you, but your son? Yes _,_  I would; one must suffer the consequences! Because of your multiple failures to keep the same Oath in my name, your son will reap the ramifications for  _your mistakes._ "

Zeus snarled, "Be gone, oath-keeper," he struck his hand and the woman was forcibly ejected from the room, shadows swirling around her body until nothing remained.

"Father?" The beautiful but cold and arrogant woman asked, gray eyes held in a facade of unfeeling. Percy gathered that he was staring at Athena, the favored child of Zeus, Percy's own half-sister _._  He shook his head, trying to stay calm. "What of the boy? With Thalia Grace gone _,_ he must be the Child of the Prophecy; there is no other."

Percy perked up, ears listening attentively but he froze when his 'aunt' by the hearth snapped her gaze to him and urgently flicked her hand.

The world blurred away and the last sight he saw was that of his father radiating absolute, unfathomable power.

XxXxXxXxXxX

**That's chapter one, folks! It was very fun to write and I hope you had fun reading it! Please, leave a review and tell me what you thought. I would really appreciate it!**

**Here's my reasoning for things:**

****Yes, Percy and Grover are slightly older than they were in canon and yes, Grover is based on the movie version because, to me, he was** **far more enjoyable** **in the two films. Whereas in the novels, I wanted to reach through the pages and** **throttle** **him** **because I found his character so tedious most of the time.**

 ****Percy has a younger brother who is Sally Jackson's child, but we don't know who his father is. His father is** **not Zeus,** **unlike Percy. He is in the sixth grade, so his age will be what canon Percy's was.**

 ****The Furies and the Minotaur in** **one** **chapter** _ **.**_ **Those scenes were** **very fun** **to write, and I hope that you all enjoyed them.**

 **So, like in canon, Sally Jackson dies trying to protect Percy from the Minotaur. In this story, I can promise you that that whole debacle will realistically** **traumatize** __ **Percy and Athos, whereas, in canon, I had found the emotional reaction by Percy to be very lacking.**

 ****Percy is summoned onto Olympus by an unknown force and learns of the gods and of who he truly is** **\- a son of Zeus. I utilized the goddess, Styx because in canon, Oaths on the River Styx, at least to me, are hardly explored to the depths that they should be. Zeus broke his Oath** **multiple times** **and while Styx could never hope** **to punish the King of the gods or any of the Big Three, all of his mortal children are** **fair game** **. I personally always thought that Styx could have been as much of an enemy in the** _**Percy Jackson** _**series as the Titans themselves because of the sheer** **control** **that she possesses over half-bloods and 'minor' gods.**

**Well, I think that's everything. Once again, leave a review and tell me what you thought of it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!**

_**Stay Safe  
** _ **ButtonPusher**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own**   _ **Percy Jackson**_ **or any characters associated with the series or in actual Mythology.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Awareness slowly crept into his mind, rousing him from the depths of his slumber after the Minotaur. It was strange, really. His limbs were complete and utter deadweight, refusing to yield to his orders, refusing to move _._  When his eyes barely, groggily opened, it was to a blinding light.

Then, his body responded instinctually, catapulting from his position, away from the intense light. His eyes were blinded, but slowly healing - he could feel it.

"Percy!" Athos' very familiar voice suddenly cried out and a form rushed into Percy's chest, squeezing tightly, tears spilling onto Percy's bare chest. "I was- …you were just laying there!" His brother sniffed, "I thought you were dead just like… mom _."_

The memories flood his mind: the Museum, Mrs. Dodds, the car trip, the Minotaur, his mother's death at the hands of that monster, and the throne room of gods.

Percy finally fully opened his eyes, allowing the tears that had been suppressed since that moment to spill down his cheeks, into his brother's hair. He squeezed Athos tightly, ignoring his brother's wince of pain, unwilling to let go until his heart knew that his beloved baby brother was safe and alive.

"It's good to see you in the land of the living, my friend." Percy's eyes darted to Grover who had just entered the room. Now that he was alert, Percy took in the area.

He was obviously in some kind of infirmary. Glowing clouds surrounded the bed that Percy had obviously previously occupied and it looked like his vitals were displayed in the cloud. Several chairs were scattered throughout the small room, unevenly dispatched in contrast to the perfectly-centered bed.

"You had me scared, man," Grover said quietly, bringing Percy back to his friend. "When I saw that hammer… connect, I thought that I was going to watch my best friend's head cleaved from his shoulders. I thought that Hades had succeeded… just like last time."

At the mention of Hades' name, his vision tunneled and for a split second, he felt large hands holding his much smaller body and a face of hellish-looking fire staring down at him between metal bars.

He blinked and the vision disappeared. He wondered what it meant? Was that dude… Hades?

Percy ignored his queries and smiled tiredly, mournfully. "But you didn't. I'm right here." He blinked, "Matter of fact, where is here? Where am I? That Camp you kept mentioning?"

Grover grinned, but the edges were tinged with grief. "Yeah, you're at Camp Half-Blood, home to the children of the gods."

"The Olympians, the Greeks?" Percy guessed, remembering his 'dreams' that he had had in the past days. He couldn't help but wish that everything that had happened was just a regular dream, but he knew that they weren't.

It was real, all of it.

Grover's eyes widened, "Well, yes. How did you…" That's when Percy noticed the items that Grover was carrying. If he wasn't mistaken, they looked like the stuff that was from the Museum.

"I had several dreams and I connected the dots." He answered, replying to his friend's unfinished question. "Plus, the Minotaur is a pretty clear indicator of what kind of life I've been forced into." He felt Athos slowly let go, watching as his brother's grief-filled eyes were swollen, brimming with tears.

"She's gone," his brother whispered, "but why? Why her? She was the greatest mom in the world!" His hands balled into fists and Percy noticed they glowed like fiery veins of light pulsing through his skin.

"Hey, bud, what's up with your hands?" He asked calmly, knowing that he would spook Athos if he seemed wary.

His brother slumped and the tears dropped from his bright eyes. He shuddered and shook. Percy went to comfort him, hug him, but Athos backed away, head still down.

Grover spoke, "It's in his blood, Percy. Just as it's in your own. Remember the lightning and thunder, the rain and everything _._  That was all you _._  That's your gift, your power. It's what you inherited from your father. Athos' gift, or at least one of them _,_  is that, the glow. I've seen it before from the others."

Percy licked his dry lips, "How long have I been out?"

"Two days,"

"And what has happened since I blacked out?" He asked, "The last thing I remember was watching that fucker burst into golden dust."

Grover bleated in agreement, "I know that this is all confusing for you, man, but I'll explain it as best I can. Athos will, too." A deep breath, "Athos and I were at the top of the hill, waiting for you and your… mother to meet us. We saw everything that happened: your mom's bravery, your display of power, the fight, and the death. I was petrified - Athos, too - that you were killed. Your brother sprinted down the hill without hesitation, and I was hot on his tail." Grover sighed mournfully, "By then, Chiron and some of the other campers had arrived and you got the help that you so desperately needed."

"Then, they took you here." Athos said quietly, arms hugging himself tightly, "Grover's been with me watching over you pretty much ever since."

Percy swallowed and snared his brother in the blink of an eye, pulling him tightly into his chest, more tears spilling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, bud. I failed and because of that failure, mom is dead. It's my fault. I could have saved her, but I was unable to." Athos didn't say anything, squeezing him desperately, and Grover didn't either, looking down at his hooves.

"It's good to see you again, Percy. You had us worried." Percy watched Mr. Brunner strut into the room but the lower half of his body was that of a horse's ass. Percy didn't even react for he had seen far stranger in the past days. Instead, a roaring rage swelled within his heart, blackening it with hate. Mr. Brunner continued, "I'm sorry that I kept my true form from you, but it was of the utmost importance that I did. It's been a long time, many centuries since I have had to leave Camp for a single demigod; you are special, Percy - your brother, too. The Fates have revealed that much."

He stepped out of Athos' embrace and stomped towards Mr. Brunner, fierce ire igniting his heart with a blaze of fire. "You sack of shit _,"_  he snarled, stepping closer until he was staring up into his teacher's eyes, "My brother and I had to watch our mother die. Where were you? You left us to rot!" Percy felt the air in the room swarm, howling with displeasure. "I'm tempted, sorely tempted to kill you just as I did the Minotaur and whatever the fuck Mrs. Dodds and those bat creatures were." He hissed.

Mr. Brunner frowned, "I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Percy, but there was nothing that I could do - the Fates had forbidden me to interfere."

Percy clenched his jaw, "Then fuck the Fates," he dimly noticed Grover inhale sharply.

His teacher paled drastically, blood draining from his features until he was chalk white, eyes bulging from their sockets as they darted frantically around the room as if looking for someone. "My boy, you can  _never speak such things!"_

Percy laughed quietly, the grief clouding his mind, the image of his mother dying haunting his eyes. "Do you honestly think that I care? You could have done something, but you were too much of a coward to do so."

"The Fates have blessed you, boy. _"_  Mr. Brunner said seriously, ancient eyes snaring Percy's own. "You are fourteen years old, and have been able to live in peace! That's unheard of! You are his son, with an aura and scent that could be felt across the world _,_ but no danger until previously has befallen you. And you're brother is a half-blood, as well, kept hidden with you from the horrors. You killed two Furies and the Minotaur single-handedly. You were lucky to survive, Percy!" He suddenly pulled the Minotaur's black-colored pulsing hammer out of seemingly nowhere, "Do you know what this is made out of?"

"What?"

Mr. Brunner handed him the hammer and Percy hesitantly gripped it, feeling the phantom pain of the weapon smashing into his skull. "This is  _found in the pits of Tartarus!"_  The room grew colder and Percy noticed at that moment that his brother was radiating a brilliant heat, almost like he was a furnace. "It's a weapon that could injure and even kill, in certain situations, a god. It's made from Thanatian Ore, for its deadly properties. Upon contact, it completely nullifies whatever wound it created from the body's natural healing process. Your healing factor was non-existent when I found you in the forest, boy. You should have been dead, but the Fates had shown favor upon you. Miraculously, you were still alive despite Hades' Realm looking to steal your soul and the Fates continued to smile down on you, boy. With the aid of all of our top healers, you lived _._  The Fates are watching, boy, always watching."

"Take it easy, Chiron," Grover said, voice becoming bolder with each word. "He just watched his mom die _._  I'm surprised you yourself aren't grieving - you knew their mom. You told me, remember?"

Athos stepped forward, "What do you mean? What's he talking about?" He stared at Mr. Brunner or Chiron or whatever his name was fearlessly and Percy was proud.

Mr. Brunner seemed to age decades before their eyes, features displaying a sorrow that Percy wasn't sure he had ever seen before. "You're right, Grover. Forgive me, boys. Your mother was Sally Jackson, correct?"

"Yeah, but who was she to you?" Percy questioned, watching for any signs of deceit on his teacher's face.

"She was my student, one of my best. As Athos already knows, this is a camp for demigods, children of the-"

"The gods. Yeah, I know that already. Athos' father is a god and so is mine."

Mr. Brunner raised a tired brow but continued. "Your Mother was a strong daughter of Hecate, the goddess of Magic, Sorcery, Witchcraft, the Mist, Crossroads, Trivial Knowledge, Necromancy, and Ghosts. As a result, you two are more god than mortal - three-quarters. It's exceedingly rare for that to ever happen - I can count on my hand the number of times in my long life that that's happened and still have fingers left. In fact, there is another camper here who is bursting with godly blood like you two. I believe he would be your cousin for his aura is tainted with mageía, but he's never been claimed by any other god save for his father, so I can't say for certain that he is like you two. He's actually one of my top students."

Athos crossed his arms, "Isn't everyone here our cousins, technically?"

"Just tend to ignore anything past a sibling. It's what I do and what you should, as well." Grover advised, grass-like eyes serious. "It makes things much easier, although that doesn't stop some from… mating with their siblings or cousins."

"You mean…" his brother gagged, bright eyes dimming with disgust.

Grover shrugged, "Yeah, it's pretty common for the Aphrodite kids to fuck each other. It's nasty, but hey, the King and Queen of the Heavens are siblings, so I guess it's okay. You know what they say, right? It ain't true lovin' unless it's your cousin." He looked at Percy, "Oh, by the way, here's the loot that you got."

"Got from what?"

"From the Furies. The Hammer was your loot from the Minotaur. When a half-blood slays a monster, the monster disperses into golden dust and cool stuff will be there. Usually, it's stuff that monsters stole off of half-bloods they murdered and various items they've collected throughout the eras of the world or a powerful weapon like the Hammer."

Percy took the items from Grover's hands and motioned for Athos to hand him his lightning sack, which he had just noticed strapped to his brother's back. The lightning in his hands soothed him and he opened his bag, remembering his mother's words.  _'It has infinite storage.'_  He dropped the loot and Hammer inside and nodded to himself as they disappeared, impressed at his mother's ingenuity. His eyes shut in grief over the thought of his kind, loving mother.

"Anyway, you two are special." Mr. Brunner cut through, "Athos has already been claimed by his-"

Percy frowned and opened his eyes, "'Claimed,' you said? What's that?"

"A claiming occurs when a god acknowledges his or her offspring. It is a tremendous honor and Athos should take pride. Most half-bloods are left unclaimed for the gods think that their children bring shame to their name, and sometimes they're not wrong."

"You know who your father is?" Percy turned to his brother, "Who is he?"

Athos looked down at the floor, not saying anything. He was trembling slightly and Percy was almost concerned that he might pass out.

"Young Athos' father is the golden-flamed Apollo: god of the Sun, Light, Prophecy, Truth, Archery, Healing, Medicine, Art, Poetry, Music, and Plagues." Mr. Brunner rasped, voice tinged with absolute respect.

"Well," Percy swallowed, "I'm happy that you were acknowledged, bud, but why aren't you?"

"Are we still brothers?" Athos whispered after several seconds of intense shaking, eyes watery. "We'll have new brothers and sisters. Will I still matter to you?" Grover nodded in understanding and looked at Percy, eyes beckoning.

"Listen to me, and listen well, bud." Percy stepped closer and placed a gentle hand on Athos' shoulder, "You are my brother and you always will be. I remember when you were born, and I remember vowing to always be by your side and to protect you. I intend to keep those promises, okay? I'm with you until the end of the road, Athos."

The tears streamed down Athos' face, but he smiled. "Good, I love you, Percy." He hugged him.

Percy closed his eyes briefly, "I love you too, bud. Always."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Every moment he was able to rest was as crucial as the air that he breathed. It was imperative that he allowed his mind to enter Morpheus' Realm whenever he was presented with the opportunity.

The Shaper of Dreams was a key ally in his master's centuries-developed plan to desecrate the gods and whoever sided against him. Through Morpheus' Realm, he and his master were able to communicate, share information, and plot the destruction of Olympus. It was something he dreamt of every single day, yearning for it more than anything.

For all of his life, ever since he could remember, he had felt different and shunned, scorned. He had had no father and his mother had been as insane as she was abusive. Her animal-like screeches still haunted him, the unholy, dreadful memories always a flickering candle on the edge of his mind, dangerously close to teetering.

His mother was a horrid, bitter woman. Her eyes had always blazed with insanity, mouth curled into a deranged yet saddened smile. She would torture him, call the suffering an experiment to make him stronger.  _'Forgive me,'_  she would always say solemnly and then the agony would begin.

The pain had been intense and overwhelming; many a time, he had asked for death, begged for it with the sincerity that only a tortured child could ever display. His mother would only say each time,  _'You will be my razing sword, my invincible warrior, my own personal Achilles to wreak calamity upon the gods, and more importantly, Sally Jackson, my cursed sister who ruined me! The Fates have deemed it so, my vengeance.'_  Then, her eyes would always cloud with sorrow and he was able to glimpse the remnants of the woman his mother once was, the person who had once been kind and loving instead of the insane woman she had become.  _'Forgive me,'_  she breathed out and the torture began once again.

Her brutality had strengthened him. Without her teachings, her torturous experiments, he would have never learned to thrive off of the pain, the hate _._

It had helped him deal with that day.

He clenched his jaw at the thought of that day and his fists clenched, vibrating sporadically as the memories, the mists of horror surrounded him in a daze.

Through his entire childhood, he had eventually realized that the only way that he was going to be able to escape from his hellish life was to learn of the power and knowledge his mother utilized.

For several years, he had focused all of his energy and focus unto learning from his mother. Through his renewed determination, he quickly grasped everything his mother did, her whispered words in Ancient Greek and the movements, the power glowing under her skin.

Most, if not all, of her teachings had deployed various injuries and resulted in eternal, harsh scars; malnourishment, whippings, beatings, magical power bolts, agony-inducing seizures, and yearning-for-death experiments when she would use potions and needles to enhance him, to make him better haunted his thoughts.

Through those hardships, he had learned of the energy that buzzed through his body, the howl of power that filled his soul. His mother had then revealed the truth about the gods and his father, Hermes. She had revealed that she herself was the daughter of a god, thus creating a powerful weapon in himself to bring forth vengeance upon Sally Jackson and the gods.

He was eager to learn as much as he could about his heritage, the energy that gave him such power. He had fervently absorbed everything his mother taught him and when he was finished, he killed her.

When he had arrived at Camp on that accursed day, he had realized that his mother, despite her insane barbarity, was correct about the gods. He had lost his new family, his lover as her father nor any of the gods had saved them from the hordes of monster.

Thus he eagerly swore revenge just as his mother once had and when his master entered his dreams with enticing words, he aligned himself with the Crooked One; he would finish what his mother had started and herald the destruction of the gods just as his mother had designed.

The anger from that day surged through him and he closed his eyes and, ever so slowly, felt his conscious ebb away into Morpheus' Realm where he knew his master was waiting for him.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The darkness was perpetual as it whipped around in glee, mocking the light that was unable to pierce its inky blackness. The shrieks of thousands of souls and monsters echoed in his ears and he felt the presence of his master, of the only being who could orchestrate the death of Olympus.

Being a spy was very hard in Camp Half-Blood, especially with Chiron and Dionysus around, but it was more than worth it. He had honed his mind, sharpened his tongue to effortlessly shape lies that not even Apollo's children could detect. He had become someone whom the gods should fear _,_  but the fact that none of the gods, not even his own father _,_  noticed him was infuriating.

His master was his lone reprieve for he knew that the Crooked One shared his poisonous fury. He felt a kinship with his master as they, along with many other slighted immortals, plotted the destruction of the gods, achieving true, absolute power and revenge.

His thoughts stalled as he realized that his master's vast and almost incomprehensible presence was distracted and he waited patiently, knowing that whatever the reason was for his master's tardiness, it was of the utmost importance.

He also knew that if he ever lied to his master, chose not to divulge information that the Crooked One desired, it would result in no questions asked - simply, an execution. That was the way of Kronos, the father of the Olympians, and only those who were aware of the perilous risks, aware of the knowledge that their lives could be effortlessly snuffed out because they failed to act as Kronos' messenger, his spy _._

They were all like he himself: half-bloods and 'minor' gods whom Zeus and his regime of immortal siblings and children disregarded like marketplace trash, whom the 'almighty' Olympian Council ceased to treat fairly and scorn their names and children. Countless demigods of all of the conspiring 'minor' gods and even a few of the children of the 'major' gods were allied with Kronos and sought Olympus' downfall.

Kronos permitted no risks whatsoever _._  The simple, single consolation being that if one died in his service - or by his hand - his centuries-developed plan would commence regardless and the gods would be destroyed. There was more than a certain… dignity _,_  and even pride _,_  in working for the Crooked One, becoming his secret, invisible eyes and ears throughout Olympus, Camp Half-Blood, and even the Mortal's Realm. That was something that Kronos' vast army of slighted half-bloods and 'minor' gods understood just like he himself did; he had given each and every one of them a chance to fulfill their purpose and destroy the arrogant gods, given them a purpose for their Fate-decreed cursed existence.

Suddenly, his master's presence condensed and he drowned under its intensity, of the unwavering, relentless waves of malevolent power seeking to destroy his body. He shuddered out a breath as he was forced to his knees from the pressure. "Gutta cavat lapidem," he choked out.

The pressure lessened,  _"Gutta cavat lapidem, a water drop hollows a stone."_  An unspeakably ancient and powerful voice as cold as ice and dark as night resounded,  _"I have urgent and most important tidings, Castellan."_

"Your will be done," Luke replied eagerly, giving the proper response to his master.

" _A boy - Perseus - has arrived at your Camp. He is the reason for Chiron's blatant distraction over the past months. He is powerful and crucial to my agenda, and thus yours. He will be the prize that will conquer Olympus - my own Trojan Horse! He is Zeus' son, hidden from my sight, and any immortal who didn't care to look by his mother for as long as she could summon the strength; my power has been slowly returning and I was too… weak to ever be able to locate the boy. Now he has wandered into the den of immortals and everyone knows of Zeus' newest son. An opportunity, by the Fates' design, has arisen, though. Perseus has a younger brother; kill his beloved, baby brother and make certain that the evidence points to the Olympians and more specifically, Zeus."_

Luke felt his throat close, emotions that he had thought that he had dealt with years ago swelling within his soul. "Zeus sired… another half-blood?" He sputtered out, the image of Thalia haunting his eyes beyond any of the torture that he was subjected to by the hands of his own mother.

The pressure in the room became suffocating and Luke snapped his eyes shut, preparing for the inevitable death, but Kronos chuckled darkly, the sound shaking his body down to his soul.  _"He is not a half-blood, Castellan. He and his younger brother are like you, a tri-blood. Zeus is Perseus' father and his mother is a daughter of Hecate, just as your own was. You three are cousins by Hecate."_

His vision tunneled and foreboding hissed in his ears. Sweat began to slip down his face, the unimaginable reality assaulting his mind. He swallowed and dared to look into the perpetual darkness. "And what is his full name?"

" _Perseus Achilles Jackson."_  Kronos murmured and the absolute pride coloring his master's words filled Luke with rage.  _"His mother is, as you have clearly deduced, Sally Jackson."_

He heard the name -  _Sally Jackson!_  - and the echoes erupted into screeching cracks of deafening thunder. With each crack, agony jolted through him relentlessly, bolts searing continuously through his head with the force of Zeus' fury. His mind and body recoiled under the onslaught of memories.

His mother's voice shrieked in his ears,  _'Sally Jackson is the source of your pain, Luke. Now, you will be my vengeance against her and the gods who forsook me.'_

"Why is he so important? Why isn't he already dead?" He snapped with blazing eyes, hatred for that woman, his aunt, clouding his mind. Because of her, his mother had become insane and tortured him! "Tell me!" He roared, jumping to his feet in a burst of rage, fists vibrating. "He should be killed immediately and so should his mother, the lazy whore! Tell me their location and I will finish what my mother started. I am her razing sword, her invincible warrior, her own personal Achilles who will, with the Fates' as my witness, wreak calamity upon the gods and the cursed sister who ruined my mother -  _Sally Jackson!"_  When his master didn't speak, Luke gnashed his teeth together in a feral display of savage intent, "Reveal where she is or I will share your plan with Olympus and I'm certain that Zeus would-"

Kronos' aura exploded outward and Luke screamed in agony as pain sparked through his body, tens of thousands invisible, fire-coated weapons piercing through  _everywhere._  He felt his master's fury, the overwhelming waves of power that reminded him that Kronos was the father of Olympus, of the Big Three themselves.

" _You would be wise to mind your tongue if you wish to keep it, Castellan."_  His master hissed like a viper,  _"Your usefulness is the only reason you still yet breathe, son of Hermes. Don't have your disrespect outweigh your valuable contributions to my plan because if that happens, I will have no qualms in snuffing out your pitiful existence."_

Luke shuddered despite his best efforts not to and gasped as the pain abruptly stopped and he fell flat on his face, the darkness doing nothing to shield him from the humiliation and self-loathing that he felt. He licked his lips and slowly, achingly sat up, choosing his words with the utmost care. "Forgive me, Crooked One. My emotions hindered my judgment. I only wish to understand your reasoning for Zeus' son. Why do you want him alive? He is a major threat; wouldn't it be smoother for us if I killed him, and his brother, too?"

" _Your tongue is smooth as silk, Castellan."_  Kronos sounded amused,  _"Because of Perseus' arrival, I am in a euphoric mood. My reasoning has to do with many things, son of Hermes. Perseus will play a major role, the biggest out of anyone, in the war to come. He must live and flourish, garnering power as his father before him had done eons past. Be his guide, Castellan. Poison his mind against Olympus and their allies, thwarting reconciliation between father and son. Be the father figure that he always wanted, that he had yearned for as a child. Make him trust you and when that trust is unshakeable, you bring him to me."_

His head bowed, Luke closed his eyes in acceptance. "As you wish, Crooked One. My will is yours to command."

Luke felt his master's approval and then the darkness suffocated him, wrapping around his soul with the grip of Hercules himself.

He shot up from his bed with a gasp, ignoring the irritated moan from his bedmate. He blinked several times and tried to shake off the remnants of Morpheus' Realm. After several moments, he noticed Apollo's light beginning to pierce the day.

His room was dimly sunlit, empty bottles of Dionysus' alcohol littering the floor, a bra hung from the edge of his bedpost, and a Camp Half-Blood shirt was strewn across the floor, tangled with pants, underwear, and Luke's own shoes.

A smooth, bare arm suddenly draped across his chest and Luke felt his lips curl into a dark smirk as memories of the previous night before his meeting with Kronos replayed through his mind.

"Mmmm, good morning, Luke," a sensual, sweet voice whispered in his ear. "I am so hungry."

"You are famished, I bet," he murmured, trying to remember the girl's name. He knew she was a daughter of Demeter. What was her name, again? He quickly shook his head and his eyes snared his conquest's hazy, tree-colored eyes, the facade of the perfect, loyal soldier for Olympus in place. "Okay, just give me a few minutes to fully wake up and then I can see about fixing some-" his throat closed as, suddenly, a ghost from his past stared at him from across the room with shame-filled, heartbroken eyes. The floodgates of his rage shattered and he glared at Demeter's daughter, facade broken, "Get the fuck out!"

The girl gasped, shock carved into her pretty features, "But you promised me breakfast, Luke!"

He snarled, teeth grinding together. "If you want breakfast, go to the Pavilion. You obviously enjoy some Greek!" Luke hissed and his mageía sparked, runes dancing in the air. He muttered under his breath and Demeter's daughter vanished from the room with a shriek of outrage.

Luke jumped to his feet, doing his best to ignore the often-appearing ghost. After several moments, his fists vibrated and he blurred around, zipping across the room in the blink of an eye, staring down at the ghost of his love.

Thalia Grace leaned back against the wall, looking as mind-numbingly beautiful as she always had. Her arms were crossed under her breasts, emphasizing the roundness and Luke refused to look down for it would destroy him. Her beautiful white hair hung loosely down her shoulders, accentuating her solemn features.

"It's not too late," she whispered, staring up into his face, her soft eyes piercing his own. "You mustn't continue this path. Forsake your-"

"I'm doing this for you!" He cut her off angrily, desperately. "I'm avenging you, both of you. Zeus, the oh-so-mighty King of the gods, did nothing as Hades' beasts swarmed us! Your own fucking father - mine, too - watched passively as we sought to escape. Athena, the heartless bitch, did nothing either! The gods will be destroyed and I will be the herald of…  _Kronos._  I am the calamity that my master will force upon the petulant, arrogant gods. Olympus' destruction is at hand and I will watch it happen with a smile splitting my face!"

Thalia shook her head, tears shining in her beautiful eyes. "No, no, Luke. Stop this! I didn't die just-"

Luke swiped his hand through the air in disgust, "You died because the gods are cruel, petty, and selfish _._  They don't deserve their power and I guarantee that if it were my child," he swallowed hard, emotions welling within him, "battling Hades' slaves, I would always interfere, smiting the hellish beasts whence they prowl!"

The ghost smiled gently and lovingly at him, "I know that, Luke, I know it with all my heart. You would be an excellent father, we both knew that, but if you keep your current path, you will never have that chance."

"There is no chance without you," he whispered softly. His trip to Morpheus' Realm flashed through his mind, "Your father sired another bastard - a son." He confessed, rage coloring his eyes until all he could see was red _._  "Zeus, the man-whore beyond any other, spread his seed again."

He looked up, hoping to see hatred flash through Thalia's eyes, but only tenderness was visible. "I would have liked to meet him, Luke. I hope that you don't allow my father's actions to poison your heart towards my sibling. You were my confidant, my best friend and lover, and if you let yourself, I think that you and my newest half-brother could share a similar bond - minus the lover part."

Luke shook his head, "No, no, no _._  I can't do that, Thals. Perseus is Sally Jackson's son!"

"The sins of the parents never fall to their children."

"I don't care!" He hissed, "Because of that bitch, my own mother tortured me for years, almost killing me so many times that I can scarcely recall them all!"

"You are strong-willed, my darling. You must use that gift to triumph over your past. You can either become better or bitter from your experiences, my love. I've helped you before with that. Whenever you needed help, I was always there."

Luke closed his eyes, "But you're not here anymore, Thalia," his eyes opened and it was to the sight of his empty room.

Now it was time to dawn the mask of Luke Castellan, counselor of Hermes' Cabin, the eldest half-blood - technically tri-blood - residing in Camp Half-Blood.

Kronos had emphasized and reemphasized the lesson of 'working on the visual', and later, Luke himself uttered it as a mantra to keep himself in his role. He still remembered the Crooked One's words.  _'Always work on the visual, Castellan. It's more effective than anything else. Anybody, the gods, half-bloods, and even mortals will draw the judgments and facts you want based on the foundations of what they see infinitely more than from the smoothest, most realistic lies you can feed them.'_

It was time to become the epitome of a child of a god, relentless in loyalty and the perfect servant to the oh-so-powerful gods. The thought sickened him, but his infiltration wasn't to last much longer, he suspected, now that Perseus, Kronos' prized weapon, had arrived.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The sun was glaring down, signaling Apollo's happy mood. No laughter fluttered in the gentle breeze to reach Luke's ears. It infuriated him! The gods had cursed all their children to a horrid existence, forcing them to battle peril every day.

Luke was going to change that and hopefully, Zeus' bastard would help him. He quickly blurred toward the Pavilion, hoping that Chiron wouldn't notice his tardiness for breakfast.

When he arrived a second later, he noticed that a large crowd had gathered near the unclaimed table, jeering. Luke narrowed his eyes and forced his way through, uncaring if he elbowed anyone in the face or not. After a moment of lurching through the half-blood mob, his eyes finally took in the scene.

A young boy - Apollo's brat, he could tell; the bright hair and aura were unmistakable - was curled into an older boy's body, clutched tightly by the elder one. Grover was next to them, trying to peacefully negotiate, but getting nowhere.

Luke opened his senses and his breath hitched at the feel of the elder boy's aura of power. It was the same aura that Thalia had had, but even stronger. Also, Hecate's power shimmered under the boy's skin.

He had found Perseus, the boy marked for Kronos.

"So, what do we have here?" Luke rolled his eyes as Jackie Morris, son of Ares, leered at Sally Jackson's children. The kid was several years younger than Luke's own age and was an utter asshole, completely like Ares himself, whom Luke had had the unfortunate pleasure of communicating with.

One of Hercules' numerous sons, Robbie Hanson, another asshole, chuckled darkly, the jeers of all the surrounding half-bloods inflating his ego. "Well, Jackie, I think that we got us a couple of newbies _._ "

The mob grew louder and Luke noticed the younger Jackson brat clutch Perseus tighter.

Jackie beamed, a dark smile splitting his ugly, scarred face. "Well, newbies, we have a tradition here at Camp Half-Blood called 'Pick On the New Guys' and here's how it works: we pick on the new guys," Jackie concluded smugly as Robbie cracked his knuckles with a sadistic smile.

"And there ain't nothing you can do about it." Robbie chimed in, eyes glinting with satisfaction.

"Let's try one, shall we?" Jackie leaned forward and plucked a lightning-coated sack from Perseus' hands only to immediately drop it on the ground, wincing from the electric shock. He swiftly recovered, "Oh, no! You dropped your… sack. What are you going to do, new guy? You should probably pick it up, don't ya think? It looks like an expensive gift." He added the last part enviously.

Perseus' fists clenched and Luke watched the kid's jaw clench. "My brother and I don't need this shit right now, guys." Sparks of lightning sizzled across the kid's fingertips but Luke was the only one who seemed to notice.

Robbie took on a wounded expression, "But, newbie, didn't you hear the man?" He mocked, sneering at Zeus' bastard. "I know that the twerp who Apollo claimed as his son didn't." His raucous laughter echoed everywhere. "Look at him, Jackie, just look at him! He's probably one of those losers who couldn't even nail a girl if he was in woodshop class! He even looks like one of those motherfuckers who eat alphabet soup and end up choking on the 'D', am I right?" Luke saw the brat lean further into Perseus' side, shielding himself from the two half-blood's words.

Jackie cackled, "Holy shit! You're right, my man." They high-fived and Luke suddenly felt a chill ripple down his spine. The air became heavy, almost suffocating! The sky began to darken and Luke felt uneasy.

"'Man'?" Perseus' brilliant white orbs brightened slightly, glowing with a rage-induced power. "I don't see a man. All I see is two little girls." Lightning shrieked through the heavens at his words.

The mob abruptly became silent, eyes wide as something unprecedented had just occurred - someone was fighting back. Luke almost chuckled, but narrowly refrained from doing so. He was unable to keep his lips from curling into a smirk. Perhaps Thalia's ghost was right; maybe he and Perseus could become friends.

Perseus smiled darkly, letting go of his brother and stepped closer. "I think I'm going to call you," he pointed at Jackie, "Marie and you will be," he tilted his head towards Robbie, "Brittany."

Grover laughed next to Perseus as Robbie and Jackie looked absolutely baffled, shock carved into each of their faces. Luke watched as fury quickly overtook the shock and Jackie brought his fists into the air, "No, no, I got this, Robbie." He hissed out at his friend, reddish eyes flashing with rage. "And I'm going to enjoy this,"

"Just as I know that I will, Marie," Perseus retorted, lips curled back into a snarl.

Gasps echoed and then Jackie lunged forward with a shout of fury. Luke raised an eyebrow in disgust. Letting your emotions cloud your judgment was a major weakness. His eyes widened as Perseus stepped back, avoiding the punch and kicked forward, foot slamming into Jackie's chest. Ares' son flew back several feet and stumbled off his feet, falling flat on his back in a heap of limbs.

Robbie looked at his fallen comrade and blinked, shock forcing his jaw to drop before it snapped shut with an audible growl. He turned towards Perseus with murder carved into his muscle-ridden face only to pale as the tip of a beautiful, majestic xiphos was only a hair's length away from his nose.

"I already warned you and Marie to leave us alone," Perseus said quietly, his voice cold as a frigid winter. "But, of course, you wouldn't listen and said something to my brother that I did not like. You wanted this. Remember that, Brittany, because I promise that you will never forget this moment." Before anyone could react, Perseus yanked back his blade and without hesitation, plunged the sword through the seams of Robbie's pants, tearing through the material and through the delicate organ hidden within.

Luke actually smiled genuinely, impressed by Perseus' instincts and rage. The sword that had been a pen gleamed under Apollo's rays, casting a wave of divine light on Zeus' bastard.

Kronos' secret agent watched unblinkingly as Robbie screamed hysterically in utter agony, shaking the ground around him and he swallowed and his lips quivered, tears falling down his cheeks in a pathetic sight. He had fallen to his knees, hands cupping his groin, blood seeping between his thick, beefy fingers, staining the grass red. Luke could see parts of his cock and fluid littering the ground and he watched in amusement as Robbie tried to pick them up while trying to stem the flow of blood from his groin.

Jackie kneeled next to his friend, face petrified as he watched the grass become crimson. He picked up the pieces of Robbie's cock while Hercules' son snarled at Perseus, tears still spilling out of his eyes. "You've just fucked yourself up, pretty boy! Do you know who my father is? He's going to grind you into paste, kid, and then I'll spread your remains on a piece of toast!"

"An awful brave statement for a dead little girl," Perseus growled out, wind beginning to whip around his body, crackling sparks of lighting vibrating over the surface of his blade, causing gasps to echo in the crowd of demigods.

Ares' son backed away slowly, blood drained from his face. He shakily helped Robbie to his feet and then they hobbled away, trying to run away like a rabbit with its tail between its legs.

Perseus' sword returned to its pen form and Zeus' bastard watched the two humiliated half-bloods. "Wuss," he muttered.

Seconds passed before a jubilant cry of happiness reached Luke's ears. The crowd converged, almost maiming Perseus before he stepped in.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Luke yelled, making everyone freeze and look at him in bewilderment. "Come on, guys," he rolled his eyes for good measure. "Don't crowd around him like that. He's not made of ice cream, you know?"

Kronos' agent chuckled heartily, stepping next to the two Jackson brothers. He placed a friendly hand on Perseus' shoulder, not reacting as Zeus' bastard tensed. He smiled charmingly, the facade firmly in place. "Luke Castellan, counselor of the Hermes' Cabin. You've got balls, my new friend. Brittany, as you called him, no longer does. I admire that. Those two morons needed to be shown some humility; it's been long overdue." Perseus relaxed at his words and Luke smiled inwardly. It was almost too easy.

Zeus' son smirked up at him and Luke's breath hitched at the familiarity of the sight. Thalia often threw that same expression at him years ago. Now, upon standing closer, he glimpsed the features that were almost identical to Thalia's. In fact, Perseus only had black as night hair - from  _Sally Jackson_ , no doubt - and the nose and cheekbones were more prominent, noble-looking than Thalia. Also, the kid looked more godly than his dead lover, more physically perfect, undoubtedly because he was a tri-blood. And the kid's eyes were... far more intimidating than Thalia's had ever been.

"Yeah," Perseus was saying, but Luke was having trouble concentrating. "Those guys didn't look too bright. Plus, I didn't like what they said about my brother."

Grover thankfully spoke up and Luke was able to compose himself, nodding along with Grover's words. "Yeah, all of the children of Hercules and Ares are pricks."

Michael Yew, another child of Apollo stepped out of the crowd and stared at Perseus without fear, a testament to how battle-hardened all half-bloods were. "Who are you? You're not a son of Apollo, like Athos and me. You're the one who killed the Minotaur, aren't you?" Luke's eyebrows shot up. He hadn't known that. To kill the Minotaur itself with no training was… unthinkable.

Kronos had definitely made the correct decision in selecting who his prized weapon would be.

Perseus' white orbs dimmed slightly. "I'm Percy Jackson, elder brother of Athos Jackson and I... don't know who my godly parent is." Luke almost snorted. That was a lie if he had ever heard one. Somehow, Perseus had learned or figured out that he was Zeus' son. "And yeah, I did kill the Minotaur." Suddenly, he leaned down and gripped the lighting-strapped sack from the ground. With his thick, dark eyebrows furrowed, Perseus reached in and to Luke, along with everyone else's surprise, he pulled a gleaming black, pulsing, blood-coated hammer out of the sack.

Luke's eyes widened and he laughed in genuine amazement, slapping Perseus on the shoulder. "Holy shit! The Minotaur's Hammer! That son of a bitch has murdered thousands of demigods in its existence. Legend says that Theseus himself, the only half-blood to slay the Minotaur before my new friend here," he patted Perseus on the shoulder proudly, "was terrified of that weapon. When he finally managed to kill the Minotaur in the heart of the Labyrinth _,_ Theseus claimed that the Hammer vanished with the beast, lost to the bowels of Tartarus. It hasn't been seen since then and for thousands of years, it has stayed in the Minotaur's blood-soaked hand, aiding him in his quest of consuming half-bloods when he returned to our Realm."

All was silent until Perseus held up the Hammer. He looked regal and all Luke could see at that moment was Zeus himself. "You won't need to worry about this weapon being used on any of you unless you betray me or piss me off, I swear on the River Styx." Everyone cheered at the declaration, whoops of jubilation prominent among the deafening boom of thunder.

The mask slipped for a moment and Luke felt his lips frown before he pulled the facade back on. The kid was smart, no doubt about it. He had basically given himself a loophole to wield the Hammer how ever he saw fit if he ever grew angry.

Luke found himself admiring the kid more and more.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"What are you doing? You're not allowed in here without supervision." A voice echoed and Percy glanced to the side, taking in the narrowed eyes, the conceited expression on the girl's face and ignored her. He didn't want to banter with anyone after what had happened with Brittany and Marie. Those two fuckers were… lucky, had gotten off easy, in his opinion. The realization of having no manhood would be the least of either of their problems if they ever tried to mess with him or Athos again.

Percy had wanted to show them what kind of power he possessed, a power that the gods themselves noticed and, if he wasn't mistaken, were wary of. The only consolation was that he had humiliated those two arrogant bastards and protected his brother.

He ignored the whispering voice in the back of his mind that reprimanded him, annoyingly singing that had gone too far and been too violent, setting a very bad example for Athos.

"Excuse me?" The girl raised her voice, the whine scratching his ears painfully. Percy glared at her and was about to tell her to get lost, but he didn't get the chance.

Thankfully, Athos took over. "Um, hi! We're kind of new here at Camp Half-Blood, and you know, we're just, um…" Percy observed his brother's star-struck face, the glaze to his bright eyes and groaned inwardly, recognizing the signs of a crush.

"We're getting our mother back." Percy cut in forcefully, adamantly. "Mr. Brunn- …I mean, Chiron had recalled a myth in my class several months back. It was something about a mortal journeying to the depths of Hades and bringing back his wife, I think it was. We need to know how he did it because we are going to do the same thing _._ "

The blonde girl stared at them with an absolutely baffled look before she burst out laughing, her raucous chuckles echoing through the room. "No, you won't," she said after a moment. "It's impossible for anyone except the gods to bring someone back from death."

"What about that guy Chiron told me about?" Percy demanded aggressively, "He got his wife back! Why can't we get our mom back?"

The girl rolled her eyes causing Percy to clench his jaw. She stuck her nose in the air, haughtiness carved into her face. "Orpheus was a son of Apollo who lost his wife on the day of his wedding. Distraught with grief, he was willing to give anything and everything to have his beloved Eurydice returned to his side. He almost succeeded, but it was a fool's crusade. You two have no chance, especially if my conclusion about who," she pointed at Percy, "your father is, is correct. The signs are obvious _._  The  _lightning and enraged winds_  bowing before your will leave no questions as to whose blood you carry. I knew someone like you, once."

"You're Zeus _'_  son." Athos breathed out, eyes bulging from his sockets in realization. "That means that we're brothers and you're my… uncle."

"You're my brother. I don't give a shit about any other title, all right, bud?" He said adamantly.

"Because you are his son, you have no chance of escaping the Underworld, assuming that you manage to even get there." The girl interrupted, looking bored.

Percy exhaled through his nose to prevent his temper from worsening. "Why would we have no chance? Athos is Apollo's son just as Orpheus was. Couldn't my brother do the same thing that Orpheus did?"

The girl raised an eyebrow in disbelief and had the audacity to scoff. "Hades is your suspected-father's brother, condemned for eternity to ruler over the Underworld. The Big Three - Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades - have a bitter relationship, to put it nicely. I can only assume that the King of the Underworld was the one who sent the Minotaur after you. That creature is one of the strongest monsters in our monster-infested world. Only a god of great power could command the Minotaur to attack you all."

"Then Hades will regret his actions," he said darkly, remembering Grover's words from the Museum. He now recognized that it was the truth. From what Mr. Brunn- Chiron had said, the Furies were minions of Hades and they had said that their Master wanted him dead.

"You are actually going to do it?" The girl asked in shock, "I knew that you were stupid, but I didn't know that you were  _that_  stupid. Nobody ever returns from the Underworld without losing something or someone in return. It's pointless to try, anyway. Chiron and Dionysus will never let you go on a fool's Quest."

"Oh, they will," he murmured, connecting eyes with his brother. "Wouldn't you say so, bud?"

Athos hesitated and glanced at the annoying brat. "Um… I don't know, Percy. They might, but I'm not sure."

Percy rolled his eyes in exasperation, realizing that Athos was smitten with the girl and wouldn't concretely disagree with whatever she said, no matter how asinine it was.

"What's your name?" His brother asked shyly. "I'm Athos Jackson and this is my older brother, Percy Jackson."

"I know who you both are," she huffed out and stood taller, arrogance wafting off her in waves. "I'm Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, the goddess of Wisdom, Warcraft, Weaving, Civilization, Courage, Strategy, Justice and Law, the Arts, Pottery, and Skill."

Percy almost chuckled aloud. Well, that explained the arrogance of the girl now named Annabeth. He could now see the resemblance that the girl had to his godly sister. She had the same cold arrogance that Athena did when he was on Olympus.

"That's a lot of… domains, if that's the word." His brother blinked.

Annabeth nodded, "Yes, my mother is one of the most powerful gods on Olympus. Probably the most powerful goddess _._  I am proud to be her child."

"What about Hera?" Percy asked, remembering when he was on Olympus and had witnessed Hera's ire against his father. It was terrifying, in all honesty. "And Demeter and Hestia? They are of the same generation as the Big Three, as you called them. Then there's Aphrodite and Artemis."

"Hera, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hestia can't compete against my mother; they all lack wisdom. I, along with every child of Athena, have gained the priceless gift of wisdom itself because of who we are."

Percy frowned at Annabeth's words. He recalled something his mother had said to him years ago. He swallowed at the thought of his mother, stuffing down the grief, and repeated the words. "Wisdom isn't gained, it's earned."

Annabeth scoffed, "Spoken like one who lacks wisdom."

"I have the wisdom to know," he grit his teeth, "that you have to earn wisdom, experiencing it from your mistakes. You're my brother's age, only a fucking child despite your ego."

The girl's eyes blazed with contempt, "I have the wisdom necessary to realize that you are a fool! Nobody can travel to the depths of Hades and return unless the King of the Underworld permits it! Considering that it was he who dispatched the Minotaur after you, your brother, your mother, and Grover, you've been marked for death. I know better than most that whomever Hades wants dead will be dead no matter the effort in trying to stop it from happening." Annabeth's eyes glazed over and Percy realized that there was a lot more to her words.

The plan that he had already begun to form in his mind became a lot more concrete as an idea floated in his mind, and Percy softened his voice. "Well, it seems that we both have a common animosity towards Hades. If you help me and my brother get our mother back, I'll guarantee your vengeance towards my dear uncle." The fire-filled face appeared in his vision again and the inescapable feeling of being held by large hands appeared once more.

"You're insane," she said quietly, obviously debating the merits of his words, of his guarantee. She licked her lips, "What's your plan? You've obviously thought about it."

"Me, Athos, Grover, and hopefully you will journey to wherever the hell the portal is to Hades' Realm. But before that, I remember something that Chiron said in class about a chain magically concealed in a throne that trapped my dear, ole' step-mother…" he trailed off intentionally, hoping that she would catch on.

He wasn't disappointed.

Her eyes widened and she almost looked at him impressed. "You want to trap Hades, the  _King of the Underworld,_  utilizing Hephaestus' Chains?"

"Yes, I do. Based on what Chiron said in class, the Chains keep a god from being able to access their powers. All we need is to acquire the Chains and bind Hades in them, forcing him to release our mother and allowing you to pound his face in."

Athos stared up at him in hopeful awe, "Will it really work? You think we'll get mom back? It almost seems too good to be true."

"It's not, bud, I promise you _._  It will work. We'll get mom back." He looked at Annabeth. "So, what do you say? Have you decided?"

Athena's brat tilted her head and the expression on her face was blank, calculating. Percy refused to admit that he felt slightly uncomfortable. At last, Annabeth slowly nodded her head, "I'm with you. Although emotions are a weakness and a constant slave-master to lesser beings, this is personal _._  I won't lie to you though, the probability of us succeeding in this Quest are astronomically low. It is a simple fact, and facts don't care about your emotions and feelings."

"But you have joined the Quest, anyway. Why? Who was it who Hades took from you?" Percy demanded, "We want our mother back, needing to avenge her unjust murder. Who do you want to avenge?"

Annabeth's eyes fluttered shut and her breath quivered, "Thalia Grace was her name," she whispered, sad, shiny gray eyes connecting with Percy's white orbs. "She was Zeus' daughter." Percy's eyes widened and his lips parted in shock. Athena's words from his 'visit' to Mount Olympus echoed in his mind.  _'What of the boy? With Thalia Grace gone, he must be the Child of the Prophecy; there is no other.'_  Yet, Annabeth continued, not noticing that he recognized the name. "She was as powerful as she was kind. She had an inner beauty that I believe would rival Aphrodite herself. I first met her when she and Luke found me when I was liv-"

"Luke? As in Luke Castellan? The Hermes' Cabin counselor?" Athos asked in disbelief while Percy was trying to envision the story that Annabeth claimed to be true. For some reason, he had a hard time imagining Luke being a part of it. He was also trying to come to grasps with the fact that he had had a half-sister like him until Hades murdered her, apparently.

"Yes, they had found me on the streets, half out of my mind and terrified of the monsters that I had scarcely managed to escape from. We were all a family," she whispered, eyes glazed over and a grieving expression crossed her features, "until we weren't."

"Hades," Percy concluded in sympathy. He softened towards Annabeth, recognizing that she had been dealt a similar hand to both he and Athos by the Fates.

Annabeth nodded and Percy noticed the sheen of tears in her eyes but he didn't comment. "After several months of evading monsters, Luke heard of Camp Half-Blood and we all determined to at least check it out, deciphering if it was a hoax or not. It took us more months to reach Camp. By then, we had run into Grover and he joined us, trying to help us reach Camp, but it was difficult, to put it nicely. It was hard on all of us, but particularly on Thalia."

"Why?"

"Thalia was a fierce warrior who had a gentle heart, always striving to understand others."

Percy frowned and placed his hand on Athos' shoulder, stopping his younger brother from speaking of her avoidance of the question. "What happened after you decided to reach Camp and met Grover, Annabeth?" He was going to ask his friend about Thalia's death if Annabeth decided not to.

"I don't know how, but Hades somehow learned that Zeus had broken the Oath and-"

"'Oath'? What Oath?" He leaned forward and flashed back to his time on Mount Olympus during the pale, murky-roiling-skinned woman's appearance.  _'This is the fourth time that you have broken an Oath on my waters which pertains to any of your blood and the second time in a result of that boy. …one must suffer the consequences! Because of your multiple failures to keep the same Oath in my name, your son will reap the ramifications for your mistakes.'_  So said a mysterious woman suspected to be a goddess, for Zeus called her 'oath-keeper'.

"The Oath on the River Styx." Annabeth's clipped response floated in the air and Percy remembered how he had sworn on the River Styx to the crowd of demigods that they would never half to worry about the Minotaur's Hammer being used against them. He had seen his father swear on the River, so Percy had done the same. By observing the seriousness of Annabeth's expression, he now realized that he might have been a bit hasty in uttering those words.

"It's what I said earlier," he said after a moment.

"Yes, I know. I was - and still am, mind you - astounded by your stupidity."

"Whatever, just tell me what it means."

"An Oath on the River Styx is powerful _._  Never break such an oath for there are worse things than being wrapped in Thanatos' embrace. The oath is all-binding to any who make the foolish mistake of swearing on the River's name. Only a powerful god - like your father and his brothers - can break an Oath on the River Styx with no consequences befalling on them whatsoever."

Percy closed his eyes in realization, "But the same can't be said for their children."

"Yes, so because of your existence, Styx herself is furious with you, desiring to incinerate your soul for she cannot touch your father."

Athos seemed to grasp the seriousness of the words and he paled, blood drained from his face. "So because of Zeus' mistakes, Percy will be blamed - that's unfair!"

"Life isn't fair, bud," he patted his brother's shoulder and turned to Annabeth. "What Oath did my father break? And while you're at it, why did he even need to make an Oath in the first place? He's the King of the gods."

"World War II isn't what you think it is," she randomly said and the words echoed in the air. "It's when it started. The mortals believe that Adolf Hitler was a Nazi and he wanted to conquer the world by having a chosen 'Master Race' that he deemed worthy via a brutal purging of the 'illegitimate' bloodlines, but that's not what happened - it was just a facade."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Percy demanded, leaning forward. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It will, you'll see, I promise. Adolf Hitler was a son of Hades and so was his half-brother, Joseph Stalin." Percy closed his eyes in disbelief and chuckled in shock, trying to keep from drowning under the utter chaos that escaped Annabeth's mouth. "Franklin D. Roosevelt was a son of Zeus and Winston Churchill was a son of Poseidon, one of the only worthy ones to ever exist." Condescension poisoned her tone and Percy dimly recalled that Athena and Poseidon loathed each other. "Anyway, World War II was basically a pissing contest between the children of the Big Three - the sons of Zeus and Poseidon versus the sons of Hades - and the latter would have won but Hitler became greedy and betrayed Stalin."

"The invasion of the USSR," Athos whispered and Percy glanced at his brother in surprise.

Annabeth smiled at his brother and Athos flushed. "Yes, and as a result, Stalin joined his cousins and Hitler was defeated. The Big Three had seen the results of their children's arrogance and after the war ended, the three brothers agreed that they wouldn't sire any more heroes because their children were too powerful and destructive, affecting the course of the mortal's events too much, causing too much carnage to plague the world. They all agreed to have no more affairs with mortal women, swearing on the River Styx."

"Well, it was obvious from the beginning that none of them were going to keep their cock in their pants. Dear ole' pops didn't stick with it." Percy said after a moment. "I don't know, though, about either Poseidon or Hades."

Athos huffed and his arms crossed, fiery veins of light pulsing through his hands for a moment. "Why can't Styx just see that Percy isn't at fault?"

"It doesn't matter right now, bud. We'll think about it later," he whispered and inhaled deeply, purging thoughts of his soul being incinerated and worked the conversation back to Thalia Grace, his half-sister. "So my dear uncle Hades discovered that my… father broke his Oath on the River Styx."

"He sent scourges of Hellhounds after us, scarring all of us, harsh claws tearing through skin. We were at the end of the line, almost near Camp." She swallowed and bit her lip, "Then the Furies themselves - the spirits of vengeance - met us at the top of the hill. It was hopeless."

"But that's-" Percy clamped his hand on Athos' shoulder, warning him not to reveal the Furies appearance at the Museum.

He coughed, "Continue, Annabeth, please."

She narrowed her eyes but continued. "By that point, Thalia was in no condition to fight the Furies, let alone even a single Cyclops. Perhaps if she had been, she would still be with us. Only several seconds into the carnage, she had recognized that it was she whom the Furies wanted and she forced Luke, Grover, and I to leave, to escape into the haven of Camp Half-Blood."

"She sacrificed herself," Percy said softly, mourning the opportunity that he could have had to meet his brave half-sister.

"Yes, but before the depths of Hades claimed her, Zeus cast down a bolt of lightning. The massive, beautiful pine tree that you saw-"

"You mean the one that was taller than all the other trees?" Athos asked.

Annabeth nodded mechanically, "Yes, that tree is now Thalia. Zeus saved her from Hades' grasp by transforming her into a pine tree."

Silence.

Percy inhaled slowly, "Is she still alive? Is she inside the tree?"

"She is the tree, Percy, and the facts point to no, she isn't still alive."

"That's terrible," Athos said sadly, radiant eyes darting between Percy and Annabeth. "Couldn't my father, Apollo heal her? He's the god of healing, isn't he?"

"She's already dead, Athos. Apollo can't heal the dead. Nobody can. Thalia's been gone for a long time, many years."

Percy closed his eyes and hoped that wherever his half-sister was, she was at peace. He opened his mouth and carefully chose his words. "Annabeth, thank you for sharing. Together, all three of us can wreak vengeance on Hades for what he's done to us. When do you think we should leave for our… Quest?"

"First, we need a prophecy from the Oracle and then we should be able to go for not even Chiron or the gods could stop us if we have a prophecy from the Oracle herself."

"Okay, so where is the Oracle?"

"She is in the attic of the Big House, Percy. Just a warning, though: her appearance is grotesque, to put it in layman's terms. Nobody knows why, but be prepared, okay?."

"Do we need Chiron's permission to speak to the Oracle?"

Annabeth smiled apologetically, "Yes, you do."

Percy sighed, "That's just fan-fucking-tastic. I doubt that Chiron will just simply let me go speak with the Oracle if I ask him."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Chiron's eyes were ancient, scrutinizing and all-knowing. His history teacher looked down at him, chin tilted upward. "My boy, your mother is gone, trapped in Hades' Realm forever. There is nothing that you can do to save her. She's dead."

Percy snarled, "I don't give a shit! She shouldn't have died and I will, along with my brother and anybody who wants to come with, get her back. I'm going with or without your blessing. I'll even leave without a fucking prophecy from the Oracle, I don't care. It's your choice, Chiron. Do you want me to have the greatest chance of survival or not?"

A chuckle escaped his teacher's mouth and Chiron stared at him fondly. "I can see that I am beaten, my boy. You have just reminded me of your mother from years ago. She would be proud of you no matter which path you choose, Percy. Yes, you have my blessing to speak with the Oracle, but I cannot guarantee that she will give you a prophecy. But just like you said earlier, even if she doesn't, I can clearly see that that wouldn't stop you."

"I'm glad to see that we understand each other, Chiron." Percy nodded in thanks and hiked up the stairs, calming his mind until all that remained was the determination to save his mother from his dastardly uncle.

When he opened the door to the attic, it groaned loudly, swinging open slowly of its own accord. Dust caked the floor like ice and a scarce amount of light visibly pierced through the small window. Various trophies were hung on the walls and he stepped towards the window, noticing a figure hunched over.

"Hello? Are you the Oracle?" He hissed out, afraid that this was a dead body for it didn't even move. "I need a prophecy and then I can get the fuck out of…"

Abruptly, the figure blurred towards him and Percy was too stunned to move. The figure stopped directly, unnervingly in front of him and he swallowed at the appearance of the girl _._  Her face was a mass of rotted, sickening flesh, mangled with flies and globs of thick dust. Her eyes were gone _,_  two holes of perfect symmetry. A lot of her skin was decayed, the gray matter of bone visible in the dim light. After he collected himself and gathered his nerve to continue to stare at her, Percy found himself pitying the girl, knowing that she should have been dead long ago and not this zombie-looking corpse in front of him.

The girl opened her mouth and blackened, rotting teeth glimmered at him as obsidian and smoke drifted out of her rotting lips. Then her eyeless holes filled with an unholy, poisonous green glow.  _"I am the Spirit of Delphi, the voice of the gods, the riddle-weaver, the seer of the Fates, and speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, Slayer of the Mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask what you wish."_  The ancient, raspy voice echoed into his soul with the precision of winter, chilling his heart over.

He licked his lips and clenched his fists, refusing to show this corpse how disturbed he was. "I need a prophecy for my Quest to save my mother from Hades' Realm."

The girl's head tilted and her glowing eyes were riveted unto his white orbs.  _"Do not worry, Perseus Achilles Jackson."_  Percy's eyes widened and he could scarcely breathe.

He swallowed, "Ap- Apollo?" He asked in disbelief, wondering if he was speaking with Athos' father.

" _No. We are not Apollo, son of Zeus, grandson of Hecate and Kronos, great-grandson of Gaea and Ouranos, and great-great-grandson of the creator of all, Chaos. This has always been your fate, child. Nothing goes unnoticed. We have waited for this day for a long time. Your thoughts are clouded, and your soul is burdened, young one. We can feel it."_ Percy flinched and felt the lightning in his body, the power howling in his blood. If he needed to, he would turn this corpse to ash, no matter whom he was talking to. This was fucking insane! He was actually scared! A raspy laugh shrieked through the air, cackling.  _"You don't truly think that you would survive if we meant you harm, do you, Perseus Achilles Jackson?"_  

He froze, and fear whittled its way into his heart, but he somehow replied steadily. "I would try,"

_"That's good, really good. Cease to worry for your life, child. Your future is something that we have put a lot of work into. You will not die on this day, young one. We have deemed it so. Here is your prophecy:_

_Trekking westward, you will unearth the truth.  
_ _Dark and foul, it distorts the joys of youth._

 _The facade of help becomes a hindrance.  
_ _For the god's aid is an interference,_

 _With the Quest to restore a mother's soul.  
_ _The weapons are returned by your control._

 _You'll be betrayed by one whom you call friend,  
_ _And you'll save what matters most, in the end."_

XxXxXxXxXxX

**That's all for this one! I hope you all enjoyed it. It was fun to write, but challenging at the same time. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought. I love reading all the reviews whether they are positive or negative.**

****Percy wakes up from his coma! We learn that Athos is a son of Apollo, which many of you had already guessed - good job! There's a reason for that and you'll have to wait and see. The loot aspect is kind of like a video game, I suppose. With every monster or immortal you manage to kill, a** **reward** **will await the conqueror in the golden dust.**

 ****Luke is the grandson of Hecate and son of Hermes. If you don't remember: May was a daughter of Hecate who was mentioned in the** _**Prologue** _ **by Sally Jackson, her sister. I hope you liked the insight into Luke's thoughts and emotions. Frankly, I don't think his thoughts have ever truly been delved into. His psyche, I think, would be fascinating and he is a very interesting and tortured character. With everything he's been through, I think it's easy to understand why he became the way he did, and to understand his chosen path. He has aligned himself with Kronos and the final nail in the coffin was when the Furies killed Thalia Grace, his lover. I mean, it's pretty understandable. His mother tortured him as a child and Hermes did nothing about it, and Luke hates him for it. Then, when he meets Thalia, falls in love with, and when they - along with Annabeth and Grover - are met by the Furies, the gods, including Hermes again, do nothing to help. Kronos saw this and recognized the opportunity to gain a worthy pawn in his quest to destroy Zeus and Olympus. I always wanted to do a 'ghost' type of scene and I thought that Thalia would haunt Luke perpetually, even based on what was in Canon.**

 **By the way, in case you didn't understand what Luke said to his conquest - Demeter's daughter - then: the 'Greek' alludes to the fact that one, Luke is Greek and Demeter's daughter enjoyed him and two, and most importantly, it implies that anal sex had happened. Greek sex is** **synonymous for butt sex because the Greeks invented it. Also, I didn't come up with that quote. It is from the tv show** _**Archer.** _ **I just thought it would be a good line for Luke's character and it shows whom he has really become since the years from Thalia's death. The thing about emphasizing the visual was a thing from** _**The Bourne Supremacy** _ **by Robert Ludlum. I changed a few words, but I got the idea of it from him.**

 ****The bully scene. I was going to write it like in Canon with Clarisse, but I decided to change it up because I didn't want any potential backlash against Percy hitting a girl or stabbing her and so on. Keep in mind that if you believe Percy went too far, he most definitely did, but he didn't care. He just watched his mom be murdered because of** _**him** _ **and he is drowning in grief's affliction. And in his eyes, those guys deserved. They bluntly picked on the only family he had left and he didn't like the remark about Athos. And if you think that it's too gory for a group of children, I would normally agree with you absolutely, but this isn't a normal group of children. These are demigods, who are lucky to even live to 12 years old. I range a half-blood in age kind of like how dogs are rated differently for their years. These children are all traumatized and have lost siblings, parents, and friends to monsters, so they wouldn't be too squeamish at what Percy did. I got the whole 'pick on the new guys' routine from the movie** _**Get Smart** _ **and it's a hilarious film. Some of the dialogue is actually taken directly from it.**

 **I created the Minotaur's Hammer because I feel like the monster wouldn't just be raw, animalistic strength. Keep in mind that the Minotaur has been defeated only** **twice** **by a half-blood in its entire existence, which is a** _**really long** _ **time - Theseus and now Percy himself. He has faced children of Ares, Hercules, Apollo, and the Big Three. Not even the beast's raw strength could match at least some of Hercules' children or the Big Three's children. So, I created a weapon for it so that it would be more realistic with how the Minotaur was able to kill so many half-bloods without ever being destroyed, save for Theseus and just recently Percy.**

 ****Percy meets Annabeth and gets the whole run-down about what happened to Thalia and the Big Three's Oath about siring demigods. He concocts a plan, along with Annabeth's advice, to save his mother and he gets his prophecy from the Oracle. I didn't really feel like writing out a Capture of the Flag sequence because** _**everybody** _ **knows it. At this point, at least to me, it seems redundant to do so. Plus, I feel like the summoning the hellhound into Camp is kind of bullshit.**

**I think that's everything, guys. I hope you all enjoyed it and if you have a question, just ask. I'll try to answer it if I can. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of it. I'd really appreciate it!**

_**Stay Safe  
** _ **ButtonPusher**


	4. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone! I love hearing the feedback you guys have, whether it's positive or negative. It makes my day every time I see a new review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own** _**Percy Jackson** _ **or any characters associated with the series or in actual Mythology.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

The look of utter relief on young Percy's face as he descended the steps was a shock and an unforeseen event for Chiron. It had been centuries since one had been happy with an Oracle's prophecy. It just didn't happen! What had the Oracle told his newest student? He himself had honestly already accepted that Sally Jackson was dead, held forever in his eldest brother's grasp.

The Oracle must have said something that had convinced Percy otherwise.

Chiron watched as his nephew stepped towards him, looking completely at ease, a light shining in his eyes that hadn't been there since before the Museum several days ago. It relieved Chiron for young Percy - and Athos, too. For they had been kept in ignorance by their sweet, gentle, and merciful mother their entire lives. They knew nothing of the true hardships that they were cursed to, and Chiron had been worried that the events would permanently shock the two Jackson brothers into a catatonic state. The results of that would have been catastrophic!

Percy Jackson was the Child of the Prophecy. He had known it from the moment when he had laid eyes on the boy upon Grover's urging. When the satyr had messaged him with a sighting of a half-blood, Chiron had ordered Grover to safely guide him to Camp, as was the protocol, but when Grover had notified him of the newly-found half-blood's special ability to be undetectable by monsters, Chiron had left Camp Half-Blood, trying to solve the riddle that the Fates had weaved for him.

He had effortlessly manipulated the Mist and was enrolled as Grover and Percy's history teacher at their middle school without any problems. Grover had briefed him before class had even begun that something about Percy Jackson was off. The boy had all the classic, irrefutable signs of being a half-blood, but no aura of power was present, nor a scent, something that Chiron had thought to be impossible except for a fully-matured child of Hecate.

When the class had begun, the shrill ringing of the bell an annoyance to his sensitive ears, a boy had darted into the room during the screech, and when the boy plopped down next to Grover at the back of the class, Chiron had known that the Fates' puzzle had arrived.

That's when he had seen the boy's face.

Hysteria had threatened to overwhelm him as he had felt his eyes bulge from their sockets, face draining of blood, and he almost reverted to his natural form from the absolute shock. The boy,  _Perseus Jackson,_  was the splitting image of Zeus, and the unholy white orbs sentenced the boy's fate, the knowledge that Chiron had been given by the Fates' behest.

His brother had broken the Oath once again and young Percy's life, shockingly, had yet to be discovered by the gods.

That's when he had noticed that the boy's hair wasn't pure white like his father's but rather the opposite: blacker than night. That had never happened. Every half-blood whom Zeus had ever sired possessed incandescent, white hair, even Heracles himself. What was different about Percy Jackson?

That's when it had dawned on Chiron. The name 'Jackson' was a common mortal name, but for a half-blood, at least to his knowledge, it wasn't. Sweet, lonely Sally Jackson had been a quiet girl, known for her stoicism and wit during her tenure at Camp Half-Blood. Then had come the news that she had died after she left Camp, and Chiron had mourned her passing, hoping that his eldest brother had shown mercy and gifted the girl Elysium.

He had always known that Sally had loathed her life, cursing her existence many a time, but she had never voiced her disdain for fear of retribution from the gods. Chiron hadn't truly thought anything of it for young Sally hadn't been the first and she wouldn't be the last who felt that way, but when he saw the name 'Jackson' in conjecture with Perseus, he remembered.

The story of Perseus had fascinated Sally, along with others, but Hecate's daughter had been obsessed with his story, of the only half-blood to be blessed by the Fates to live a long life filled with virtue, happiness, and love. During the rare times that Sally had spoken after May's banishment, it was always of Perseus, the son of Zeus, and his happy ending.

Chiron had quickly put together what had happened and for the first time in centuries, had been wholly overwhelmed. One of his greatest, former students had faked her death and conceived a son, but not just any son, but Zeus' son! Then she had figured out how to keep him hidden from the world, from the gaze of Olympus itself!

As the weeks blurred by, when he was teaching the history class, he had begun to notice the similarities between young Percy and that of his mother. Chiron, when feeling a particular painful bolt of sorrow and nostalgia, had sworn that he would keep Sally's unspoken request and ensure Percy's safety for as long as he could. But then, when he had heard from Grover that Percy had a younger brother who was also a half-blood, Chiron knew that he must forsake his promise; their safety was compromised with  _two_  half-bloods in the Mortal Realm of the same blood.

How ever Sally Jackson had hidden her children for over a decade was unthinkable, in hindsight.

Then, the Museum had happened and the Minotaur had murdered Sally Jackson before he had been able to tell her how proud he was of her.

The Fates were often crueler than they were kind, a lesson that he always taught his students.

"What has the Oracle foretold, my boy?" He asked Percy, watching tensely as the boy looked relaxed, crinkles around his brilliant eyes twisting. He was wary for he had heard what happened between Percy and Robbie Hanson. The entire Camp had hailed young Percy as a hero and Chiron was very worried that Heracles himself would take insult by Percy's reckless and slightly blood-thirsty actions. He himself was disappointed that his nephew would sink so low, but he honestly understood for Robbie Hanson and Jackie Morris were unworthy to carry the blood of a god, a disgrace to their fathers' great names. He was unconcerned of potential trauma for anyone involved, whether they were watching or whether they were castrated.

Things much worse than castration often happened to half-bloods, and from what he had gathered, the Apollo Cabin had healed Robbie Hanson, encouraging his organ to grow back using the power inherited from their father.

"I was already warned about the girl's appearance, but holy shit!" The boy shook his head in disbelief, in shock as he plopped into the chair. "What a fucking nightmare. I pity that girl's soul. What happened to her?"

Although Chiron suspected the cause of the Oracle's refusal to search for a new host, he didn't dare voice it for fear of his brother's potential wrath. "Nobody knows, my boy. Apollo has been trying to decipher the cause for many years and gotten nowhere. But, enough of that. What did the Oracle say?"

"She said that I'll get my mom back!" Percy smiled brightly and Chiron closed his eyes in a mixture of hope and skepticism. "After she seriously creeped me out, she told me the prophecy:

_Trekking westward, you will unearth the truth.  
_ _Dark and foul, it distorts the joys of youth._

_The facade of help becomes a hindrance.  
_ _For the god's aid is an interference,_

_With the Quest to restore a mother's soul.  
_ _The weapons are returned by your control._

_You'll be betrayed by one whom you call friend,  
_ _And you'll save what matters most, in the end."_

Chiron exhaled slowly, the words of the Oracle's prophecy floating in the air of the room ominously. "Well," he said after a moment. "It certainly does sound like that, doesn't it? For your sake, I hope that it's true. But be warned, young one, prophecies are convoluted beyond measure, often revealing the truth as it actually happens."

"Saving my mom is what matters most right now. It mentions it twice in the prophecy. It spoke about a mother's soul and the last line, I think, speaks for itself."

"Yes, I know, and I am optimistic that you will succeed with bringing your mother back, although I have no idea how you will accomplish this. But have you taken into account the other words?"

"What about them?" Percy was beginning to become agitated and Chiron softened his voice.

"You don't know the full picture, my boy - most don't, actually. There are only a limited few in Camp Half-Blood, such as Grover, who know the truth." When he saw that Percy's eyes - eyes that were identical Zeus' - were riveted unto him, Chiron continued. "During the Winter Solstice, the annual meeting of the gods on Mount Olympus, this past year, Zeus' weapon was stolen."

Percy interrupted him before he could continue. "So my dad lost his toy." His flippant attitude was blasphemous. "Why the fuck should I care? It's his problem."

Chiron didn't even reprimand him for he was too baffled that Percy had discovered his parentage. "You know that…?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm the son of Zeus and my existence is a personal slight to Hera, Poseidon, and Hades. I'm marked for death. Anyway, what does a weapon have to do…" he trailed off and Chiron watched as the boy's eyes closed and then his nephew hissed between his teeth, looking eerily similar to his father. "Motherfucker! The Furies kept talking about a weapon during the Museum fiasco."

"Yes, now you realize the precarious position you are in, my boy. Your father's weapon is the most powerful in creation, capable of destroying Titans themselves in a single blast - maybe the mighty Primordials, too, if the strongest of their race still existed. And it is also a grave concern that Poseidon's Trident had gone missing the same time as your father's, as well." Percy blanched, blood draining from his features in the blink of an eye. Chiron was happy to see that the direness of the situation was clear to his newest ward. "Ever since then, the two brothers have been at each other's throats, threatening war. Can you recall the weather since the Winter Solstice, my boy? Thousands of mortals have died, but if an actual war occurred, the world as you know it would cease to exist. Mountains would crumble, the oceans would flood this world, the sky would flatten millions, raging fires, earthquakes, and all at the center of it all: you're father and Poseidon."

Percy swallowed, fists clenching and unclenching. "So I find the weapons - Zeus' toy and Poseidon's Trident - and return them with me in control. Okay, so we don't have to worry about the world ending - that's great." He muttered unenthusiastically, "I'll get a god's interference in the Quest and have to ask my dear, ole' uncle Hades to give me my mom back." Dim eyes connected with Chiron's own. "I'm going to be fucked seven ways to Sunday for this Quest, aren't I?"

Chiron hesitated and cleared his throat, choosing his words with care. "Well, I would say that your Quest will be a lot more difficult than you had originally believed."

"That's an understatement!" Percy leaped to his feet and began to pace anxiously, face a mass of twisted anxiety, white orbs on the verge of panic. "I'm fucked like a cheap hooker on the receiving end of a gangbang! Knowing how shitty my luck's been the past days, the god who interferes is probably Hades himself, trying to overthrow Zeus and even Poseidon."

"Those are words which should never be uttered without irrefutable proof, my boy," Chiron advised seriously, old eyes darting to the shadows in the room, almost expecting his brother to appear in a dark rage.

Percy whirled toward him, eyes so alike to his father's glaring, burning a hole through Chiron's own head. "Hades killed my mom, and my half-sister." Chiron's eyes widened and he sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Apparently, Annabeth or Luke had been regaling Percy about the heroism of his late sibling and now he sought to emulate her bravery and courage. "And since I'm, apparently, the Child of the Prophecy, whatever the fuck that is, I'm not going to die by Hades' hand, so I'll utter whatever words I want to, Chiron."

A wave of manic, delirious panic assaulted Chiron's mind at the boy's words. How much had Percy Jackson discovered already about his destiny? How had he even discovered the existence of the  _Great Prophecy?_  No one except the gods of the Olympian Council, save a few other immortals, knew of it. How in Chaos' name had Percy learned of it?

He cleared his throat, trying to delicately broach the matter. "I'm amazed at how much you've discovered from your short tenure here at Camp, but where did you hear of a 'Child of the Prophecy', my boy?"

Percy scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "Um… while I was unconscious after the Minotaur, I was kind of on Olympus and the gods spoke about it. A woman who I believe to be Athena mentioned it, only a few words, and then I woke up."

Chiron didn't breathe, scarcely believing the boy before him, but he knew it was the truth; he was especially thankful that his nephew knew nothing of the actual details of the prophecy. In spite of not knowing everything, though, it seemed that the Fates had truly crafted an extraordinary destiny for Percy Jackson. "That's incredible, my boy, but, as of now, irrelevant. As I said earlier, prophecies are fickle, tricky things. One can never understand, including the gods themselves, and fully know prophecies. Only the Sisters of Fate know the truth of their riddles."

"Fine, I won't accuse Hades of anything for now, but I know that he killed my mother. It's a fact! Who else could send the Minotaur after me, Athos, my mom, and Grover?"

All of the facts pointed to that conclusion - especially since the Furies themselves had appeared, just as they had done with Thalia Grace, and there was only one ruler of the Underworld to order them to do such a thing - but the Centaur was hesitant to say the words allowed, knowing that his brother's wrath was fierce, rivaling Zeus and Poseidon. There was a reason that the Big Three were all feared by all gods and Titans, save Kronos, themselves. "The way facts are observed often cloud the outcome of a conclusion, my boy. I'm not disagreeing or agreeing with you, but I am asking you to keep an open mind. That's it."

Scorn was carved into young Percy's face and Chiron was reminded greatly of both his father and mother. "Whatever, Chiron. Just tell me how I can get started with this Quest to get my mom back. That's the only thing that matters."

"Very well," he nodded his head. "A Quest is a mission that any half-blood undertakes with the aid of a prophecy from the Oracle and several chosen companions. The largest known Quest was slightly larger than a dozen half-bloods a few centuries ago, but I highly urge you to disavow that route. Such a large group would draw the attention of every monster within the Realm, especially with you in the fray."

"That's fine because I'm only taking Athos, Grover, and Annabeth Chase with me."

Chiron raised a brow at Percy, wondering how young, arrogant Annabeth had gained the respect of Zeus' son. "That is a very inexperienced group, my boy. Grover has only left Camp twice in his life - for you and Thalia. While you and Athos lived your entire lives up to this point in the Mortal's Realm, you both will be significantly troubled for it will be the first time that your scent and aura of power are unmasked. And dear Annabeth hasn't left Camp since the day your sister died years ago."

"What do you suggest, then? Do you think that I should bring another person?"

"I do think that, yes, but it is up to you to decide who that person will be. It's something that, unfortunately, I cannot do for you."

Percy glanced out the window, at the luscious grass in the yard and he inhaled deeply. "What can you tell me about Luke… Castellan, I think his name was? The dude with the scar over his eye. He talked to me after Brittany and Marie fled like a bunch of wusses. He seems strong, smart, and realistic. He's also the oldest person in Camp from what I can tell."

"He is all of those things, my boy, and Luke is easily one of my best students, the greatest swordsman I've seen in centuries. He has been on several Quests and survived. He is a warrior, and as you mentioned, smart. He has much experience in the Mortal Realm as a half-blood; he sneaks out of Camp sometimes, thinking that he can fool me, but he doesn't. He would be of great help for you and Athos, Percy."

"All right, I'll choose Luke to join me on the Quest," his young nephew stood up, face carved with determination.

Chiron stood as well, looking down at his newest ward. "First, you must ask Luke, Percy. I've no doubt that you've already spoken with the others, but Luke is a different story."

"Why?"

"He is a bitter man, filled with sadness and trauma. He has seen much, but I have a feeling that if you be honest with him about your true intentions, he'll join your Quest. He would be a great ally, and possibly, an even better friend."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Percy couldn't keep his eyes from staring at the girl by the crackling fire near a beautiful oak tree. It was as if she were completely invisible, unseeable for nobody gave her a second glance, eyes looking but not seeing.

He had just exited the Big House, or whatever it was called, practicing words that would convince Luke Castellan to join the Quest when he had noticed her.

Without any doubts, he knew that it was his aunt, the one whom he had seen on Olympus and who had spoken to him in that… dream.

He started to walk towards her, only to hesitate. Why was she here? Wasn't she a goddess? But which one was she? He couldn't recall any child goddesses. Was she Aphrodite? She had the beauty, but wait! His mom said that she was his aunt and since his mom obviously knew that he was Zeus' son, then that narrowed down the possibilities greatly.

The Queen of the Heavens would smite him if presented the opportunity and he already knew what Hera looked like, so that crossed her off the list. Demeter didn't seem like the type of immortal who would help a woman who was knocked up by her youngest brother, so that left Hestia.

Brimming with confidence since he knew the girl's identity, Percy stepped toward her, watching as the girl's head tilted towards him slightly, beckoning him further.

He plopped down next to the girl, "It's good to see you again,  _Aunt Hestia._ " When the girl only smiled at him kindly, Percy was relieved that he hadn't somehow drawn the wrong conclusions.

Her hand gently, warmly wrapped around his own. "I was greatly relieved to see that you had survived your encounter with the Minotaur, Perseus. I am sorry that your mother did not."

Percy swallowed, grief threatening to overwhelm him, but he shoved it down, not wanting to weep in front of the goddess. "Thank you. It means a lot, especially coming from you." He cleared his throat and attempted to look taller, but he knew that he was unsuccessful based on Hestia's amused quirk of her mouth. "My mom and you both mentioned how you helped 'contain' my power. Why did you? I'm his son," his eyes darted towards the sky, almost sighing aloud in relief when nothing happened. "Yet, you didn't kill me or report my existence to Olympus. You kept me safe. Why? You didn't owe me anything."

Hestia's eyes were warm, "You're my family, Perseus, my favorite nephew. All of my siblings' immortal children are just like their parents, whereas, you aren't. I've watched you grow from the moment when I discovered your existence and helped protect you and Athos when no one else would. It was the right thing to do, and for too long I had done nothing as my siblings' half-bloods, specifically the children of my brothers, were alone in the world, mortal parents always killed before they would learn the truth. I had had enough, and when I learned of your existence after your mother became pregnant with your brother, I rushed to her defense and masked your brother's aura and power, and once your's became too strong for your mother alone, I lent her strength, blessing her with my power."

Emotions welled within him and he realized that the reason why he had been, apparently from what everyone had been saying, blessed was mainly that of his mother, but also Hestia, too. He smiled genuinely, hoping that she wouldn't see the tears in his eyes, but had a feeling that she was all too perceptive. "Thank you for everything, Lady Hestia. I am forever in your debt and I swear on the Riv-"

She interrupted him, "None of that, none of that, Perseus. I didn't do what I did to incur an unpayable debt from you. That's what family does for one another, my dearest nephew: we do things out of the goodness of our hearts without any expectations for a favor." Her warm, fiery orbs dimmed slightly and her voice softened. "It's something that my family has never known, sadly."

"Could immortals even be like that? Discounting you, of course," he asked rather skeptically, trying to imagine it, but he was unable to.

Hestia didn't answer for several moments and the fire crackled, sparks echoing in his ears. He heard a weary sigh emit from her lips. "Honestly, Perseus, I don't know. I desperately want to say yes, but I know my siblings, my family. They are not merciful beings. My brothers are all very stubborn and would rather be sentenced to Tartarus himself than to admit that the other was correct."

"They're pretty much like children, aren't they?"

Melodious laughter escaped Hestia's lips. "I think that you're correct, nephew mine." Her hand patted his own and he was struck by the sudden seriousness in her warm orbs. "This Quest you are about to undertake, it will only be the beginning. You have a choice, Perseus: to go save your mother and complete this Quest and thus beginning your servitude for the gods, or you can stay in Camp Half-Blood with Athos and keep your head down and living a life of relative peace, in a half-blood's existence. You don't have to go out there, and you don't have to begin the Quest."

Percy shook his head, "No, Aunt Hestia, I do have to. My mom doesn't deserve what happened to her, and I'm going to fuck up Hades for his actions."

"My brother is powerful, nephew, a strength that surpasses every immortal save my other brothers. Also, keep an open mind when confronting him. He is different than what you expect," her eyes conveyed her pride, glowing kindly. "But, I do think that you've made the right decision, Perseus, and I am proud to be kin to you." Then, before his eyes, she vanished like smoke after a fire.

He blinked and stood up, warmth spreading from the fact that Hestia was proud of him. It felt similar to the feelings his mom caused, and it rekindled his determination even further, gnawing at his anger-filled heart.

It was the beginning of his journey in retrieving his mother from the depths of Hades, and he wasn't going to be denied, no matter who or what stood in his way.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"So, you are wanting me to join you on a Quest to rescue your mom from the depths of the Underworld itself?" Luke Castellan had one eyebrow raised in curiosity, a knife twirling in his hand with expert precision. "I must say, Perseus-"

Percy interrupted him "It's Percy, please. I don't like being called Perseus; it makes me feel older than I am."

Luke didn't even bat an eye at his request, "Well, I must say, Percy, that I'm truly taken aback. First of all, why me? You could have chosen anyone; nobody would deny you anything after you turned Marie and Brittany into true girls."

Percy shrugged and looked around the room, observing the weapons adorning the walls. "I don't trust them."

"But you trust me?"

"More than them, I do. You're more mature and older, willing to do whatever is necessary."

Luke laughed suddenly and Percy looked at him, startled. "I really like you, Percy. You're smart. Here's a word of advice, though, my new friend: don't trust anyone, ever, especially me." He leaned back, flipping the knife in the air, catching it smoothly. "So, who else is joining you on this Quest to the Underworld?"

"My brother, of course, and Grover and Annabeth Chase. I'm hoping that you'll become the fifth member, Luke."

"And why would I help you?" The tone was calm and Percy narrowed his eyes, "I owe nothing to you, your brother, or your mother. In fact, while I am leaning towards joining your Quest, I could simply decline."

Percy kept his voice level, speaking the words that he had practiced. "But then you would be refusing aid to Thalia's own brother, wouldn't you, Luke?" The man's eyes snapped towards him in a blurred motion and the monstrous fury shining in them stole his breath, but he calmly continued. "You know that I'm Zeus' son, don't you? You would have known the moment you had first seen me because you knew Thalia. So, don't you want revenge, my friend? How else do you think that I convinced Annabeth to join?" He stepped closer and stared into Luke's powerful, rage-colored eyes. "She told me about my half-sister, the brave and generous Thalia, and how she was killed on Hades' orders by the Furies. You were friends, weren't you, you and Thalia? I'm sorry that she died, I truly am. She sounded like a good person and I really wished I had known her, and I'm sorry that my dear, ole' uncle happened to be a fucking asshole, but I can offer you vengeance if you join us. Don't you want that, Luke? Don't you want to pound into Hades' face?" The vision of the fire-filled face floated in his mind again, but he ignored it.

Luke stood to his feet and for a brief moment, Percy had the ridiculous thought that the son of Hermes was going to kill him, but then Luke smiled at him. "You're clever, kid, provoking my loyalty like that. All right, I'll join. When are we leaving?"

"As soon as we can."

"Okay, but what's your plan?" Luke stepped closer, a dark and curious gleam in his eyes. "How do you plan to… let Annabeth and I pound into Hades' face? He's one of the Big Three themselves, your very uncle."

Percy smiled confidently, "Hephaestus' Chains, Luke, were specifically designed by Hephaestus himself to negate a god's powers when trapped in them. I'd say that if we can trap Hades in them, you could maybe even kill him."

He was taken aback by the large smile that suddenly split Luke's features, "Percy Jackson, you have truly impressed me. You know what? Whilst you prepare for the rest of the Quest, I'll convince the children of Hephaestus to tell me where their dad would be most likely to keep the Chains."

"That would be great," he nodded his head in thanks. "I promise that, once we get those Chains, we'll succeed in our agenda and Hades will face our combined vengeance." Their eyes connected and Percy held out his hand, "Deal?"

After a moment, Luke's hand clasped around his own in a firm handshake, "You have got yourself a deal, kid, a momentous one."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Grover was quite nimble on his legs, surprising him, even though it shouldn't have. His friend was literally a Satyr, half goat. Percy had his sack hanging from his shoulders, walking along with his friend towards his half-sister's tree. He had asked Grover what had happened, wanting another point-of-view besides Annabeth's. To his surprise, his friend had recommended they visit Thalia's final resting place. The next morning, they would all leave on the Quest.

The grass softly crunched beneath his sneakers and he paid no attention to the many half-bloods who were gawking at him, looking up to him like he was a hero. Percy didn't want the attention; in fact, he didn't think he deserved it. Maybe slaying the Minotaur was a warrant for such a reaction, but his deeds against Brittany and Marie weren't. He was beginning to regret it, in all honesty. He had gone too far, pushed to the brink, to the edge of his sanity. After watching his mother die in front of him, knowing that it was his own fault, he hadn't needed Brittany and Marie's bullshit.

"Yo, Jackson!" One of the half-bloods suddenly cried out and Percy glanced at him, realizing, with a start, that he was about to encounter another child of Hercules. The kid, who looked around his own age, was immensely muscular, disgustingly so, veins bulging from his skin. "I want a word with ya,"

Percy sighed and saw Grover stop, not discouraging such action. "What do you want?" He asked, wondering if his friend knew the child of Hercules.

The guy's grin was smooth, "The name's Eddie, and I wanted to thank ya, you know? Ole' Robbie was a nasty prick, an assface who had it coming." He leaned closer, muscles flexing in a show of strength. "In fact, I want to make it up to ya, if you'd let me."

"How so?"

"I've fucked numerous daughters of Aphrodite, so I know which ones take after their dick-hardening mother." Eddie slung an arm around his shoulder, "I can give you some tips about scoring nicely with them."

Percy laughed slightly, "And what tips would those be?"

"First of all, you need to work out, my man. Because you know what?"

"What?" He almost immediately regretted asking, because he was pretty sure he had just walked into something.

Eddie beamed, "Looking swole is the goal, my fellow half-blood, and swollen pecs lead to sex, especially with Aphrodite girls. And here's the best one: if your pecs are poppin', their panties will be droppin'."

Grover snorted, "While that's true, I think that Percy would have no problems securing a good fuck with a daughter of Aphrodite, or any of the ladies in Camp."

"Yes, but the truly great daughters of Aphrodite yearn for the untameable power of a good work-out. If you truly want an experience you'll never forget, hit some reps with me, and the hottest of the hottest will notice."

Percy questioned the guy's logic, "But wouldn't that be redundant, then? Like Grover already said, I'm a good-looking guy, I know that."

"Well, you do look far more… godly than anyone in Camp, that's for certain, but if you don't work-out, the Aphrodite girls will play hard-to-get. So, follow my advice and hit the reps, my friend. The Aphrodite chicks are  _to die for._  And, trust me, you really wanna have a fuck with them even if it's on the ground, and then take them deep into pound-town. Get them on their back because it's the best way to get your meat in their sack. They are the most promiscuous, so you gotta work-out to get 'em. 'Cause when you, my man, are looking jacked and juicy, the hoes will get loosey! And then, when you're bumpin' cheeks under the sheets with those big-booty freaks, you can thank me, my man."

"I'll take that under advisement. Thanks, Eddie," he pried the guy's arm off. "While I go off with Grover, why don't you score some hook-up for me, then?"

Eddie's grin split his face, "Oh, I'd love to! In fact, Drew had laid a suggestion on me earlier. I'll go take her up on that right now." The son of Hercules abruptly whirled around and marched away, determination displayed in his movements.

Grover suddenly laughed, "That guy's all right, a lot different than most of his brothers and cousins. Every once in a while, you'll find a good child of Hercules or Ares. He's one of them."

Percy nodded and started walking towards the tree, hearing Grover follow him. "I've never heard someone be so upfront about fucking, you know? Not even in school, man,"

"Yeah, I know, but think about it this way: half-bloods have incredibly short life-spans. In fact, we're lucky to even get laid once. So, you're fourteen-years-old, which means you're pretty much double that in half-blood years - around thirty, I'd say. The children of the gods, especially the progeny of Hercules and Ares and Aphrodite, begin their intercourse-journey a lot earlier than anyone else."

"That does make sense," he nodded as they hiked further. "And have you been laid?"

Grover grinned, "Oh, yeah, Juniper is so soft and warm inside, my friend."

"I didn't really want to hear any details, Grover," he rolled his eyes. "It was a simple question, and by the way, who's Juniper? You've never mentioned her."

"Oh, she's a dryad, or a wood nymph, if you want. Her tree is near," he looked around, searching for potential eavesdroppers. "It's near your dad's fist."

Percy blinked, "You regularly hook-up with a… a tree?"

Grover didn't seem to understand how strange the concept was, "Yeah, but she also regularly shifts out of her tree-form." He then must have noticed Percy's strange stare, "Dude, if you think that's weird, your carry the blood of a certain god who shape-shifted into animals regularly to get a little ecstasy with a mortal. Don't you know about Helen of Troy, your half-sister? Her mother was a looker, and when Zeus saw her bathing, he transformed into a swan and raped her. And what about Danae, the mother of Perseus, your namesake? Zeus came down on her in the form of golden rain, impregnating her."

"Wait, did my father…" Percy stopped walking, feeling frozen to the spot, and felt the power rumble inside. "Did Zeus... rape my mom?" He turned to Grover, "Did he? Did he force himself on her?"

"I don't know,"

"What do you mean that you don't know?" He looked down at his hands and saw the dazzling, incandescent streams of lightning dancing across his fingertips in harmony. "I doubt that my mom was in love with him." Disgust and rage flushed through his heart, and he began to shake with the strain of trying to keep his anger from exploding. "That's it! Another god has been added to my shitlist. It looks like Uncle Poseidon is the only one who is safe out of the Big Three."

Grover shook his head in wonder and disbelief, "You are going to get yourself killed saying shit like that, man. Only you would have the balls to declare Hades and Zeus to have residential positions on your own shitlist."

Percy hissed between his teeth, feeling enraged like a bull. "Come on, I want to witness my sister's resting place." He needed to distract himself from the glaring truth he had just realized. How could he have been so blind?

"Alright, it's only a little further,"

XxXxXxXxXxX

The tree was transcendent, beyond a measure of beauty. It hummed with an energy, a pulsing rhythm that Percy felt echo in his own soul. The trunk was thick and healthy, its girth stretching for the length of a football field. The branches were strong, leaves blossoming as the energy was wrapped around them.

"This was where Thalia died, man," his friend whispered and he pointed towards the left. "And that, right there, was where the Furies had met us, unleashing vengeance on us. Thalia bravely offered her own life if the Furies let me, Annabeth, and Luke go safely enter Camp Half-Blood."

Percy's fingers grazed the bark and he felt sorrow, "And they killed her."

Grover met his eyes, "Yes, they did, and Zeus threw down a lightning bolt, transforming her dying body into a tree, a tree which casts a barrier to keep monsters from entering Camp. But it's incredible though, isn't it? You yourself managed to kill two Furies whereas your sister wasn't able to even get a hit on them."

"And why was that? She was Zeus' daughter, similar to me." Annabeth's words echoed in his ears from earlier, "And why was she unable to fight? From everything that I've heard about my sister, she became sick or something. Was that why she couldn't fight?"

"Thalia was a fierce warrior who had a gentle heart, always striving to understand others."

His movements froze as he registered his friend's words, "Wait, what did you just say?"

"Thalia was a fierce warrior who had a gentle heart, always striving to understand others."

Percy closed his eyes, remembering Annabeth say those exact words previously. "From what I've gathered, it seems that way, doesn't it?"

Grover didn't think anything was wrong, "It was my first mission and I failed it, failed Thalia and… the others." His friend wiped away a tear, "I was given a second chance, though, when I found you and your brother. But then I failed that one, too."

"You didn't fail me, Grover," he gripped his friend's shoulder in reassurance. "The only one who failed was me, and I will forever hate myself because of that." The anger was there, brimming and frothing inside his heart, the memories of that horrible night threatening to overwhelm him. "I had the power to save her, but… I couldn't control it. I tried and tried to grasp that feeling I had had in the Museum, but it evaded me with the grace of a Master of Wind. It was only when she… died that the power was in my hands and I rained hell on that diabolical, fucking beast."

"You're stronger than her, you know? Thalia wasn't as powerful as you, nobody is from what I've seen." His friend stared at him with his wild-colored eyes. "I honestly believe you're one of the strongest half-bloods to ever exist, rivaling Hercules himself."

"Well, we'll have to wait and see, won't we?" Percy squeezed his friend's shoulder one last time and let go. "Tomorrow, when we leave for the Quest, Luke and Athos and Annabeth will be joining us."

Grover winced, "I'm not sure that's a good idea, man. Luke has had it out for me since Thalia's death; he blames me, and part of him should."

"I won't let that happen," he assured.

"No, you don't understand, Percy. Luke Castellan, before you arrived, was the strongest half-blood with skills that would terrify any cold-blooded, mortal assassin. If it came down to it, he would beat you easily in skill and cunning and ruthlessness. You hold the edge in raw power, but if a situation happens when you can't grasp the power, you will get your ass kicked because you don't know how to truly fight."

Percy waved him off, "I'll learn, then, don't worry. Are you seriously worried that Luke would jeopardize the Quest?"

His friend didn't speak for several moments, "How did you even get him to join?"

"I offered vengeance for Thalia's death. He can pound into Hades' face after I get my mom back."

Grover sighed in wonder, "You are truly clever, man. Okay, then I'm not worried."

"Why not?"

"Luke loved Thalia. They were lovers in the nighttime; she had a calming influence on him, tempering his paranoia and cruelty with understanding and kindness. He'd do anything to get her back."

Percy narrowed his eyes, "Then, do you think that he'll try to get her back? Did he join just so that he could rescue her from the Underworld like I'm doing for my mom?"

"Maybe, but from what I've heard, Thalia's not in the Underworld."

"What? But she's dead. Annabeth herself told me that she's not alive."

Grover closed his eyes and his knuckles grazed one of the branches of the tree. "Her body is dead, but her soul is alive, all souls are unless Styx incinerates them. But since her dying body was transformed into this tree, I don't think her soul was ever allowed to leave the body once it died; in essence, her soul is trapped, but her physical body is dead."

"So, she has yet to experience peace," he hissed out, laying a compassionate hand on the trunk. "I killed the Furies - two of them. They have faced death and now, thanks to me, know it's painful grasp, sister." Guilt was a powerful presence in his heart and he clenched his other hand into a tight fist, knuckles threatening to burst through his skin. "I'm sorry, I truly am, that I was strong enough to slay them, but you weren't. I do promise you, though, Thalia: the Furies' Master will become intimately familiar with my rage and I will avenge you just as I will avenge my mother. Justice will be served, no matter how long it takes. I swear on the River Styx." Thunder shook the heavens as he felt several tears spill down his cheeks.

Grover inhaled sharply, "Man, you've gotta stop doing that, swearing on the River Styx. When you do that- "

"I know what swearing on the River Styx entails, Grover." Percy turned away from the tree with one last sorrow-filled glance. "Annabeth laid out everything, but this time, I mean it. My sister was murdered."

"And what are you planning to do, Percy? Murder her murderer?" Grover took a step closer, "If you're right, and it is Hades who is behind it, how are you planning to kill a god?"

Percy smiled victoriously, "Don't you remember what Chiron revealed in history class, my friend? Our first stop tomorrow will be to find Hephaestus' Chains."

His Satyr friend paused and slowly shook his head, "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say that you were a son of Athena; you're frighteningly clever."

"I get it from my mom, and I will use that trait to free her from my dastardly uncle's clutches."

XxXxXxXxXxX

He studied his body in the mirror of his room, squinting his eyes as Apollo's light beginning to ebb over the horizon. A myriad of scars covered his torso, chest, and back, and most of them had been self-inflicted save for his mother's 'enhancements'. The flesh was all burnt, jagged, and coarse; it had been a way to punish himself for his inability to save Thalia on that damned day. When he had punished himself, he had never targeted his arms or legs, lest Chiron or Dionysus, or any of the agents for the gods, glimpse them and begin to look closer into his actions.

Luke's mirror was pristine, perfect-looking, but that was only because he had used his magic to reshape it from the heavily cracked and busted glass to the newly-looking version. The scar across his eye, the one the Furies had dealt him on that day when he had jumped in front of Thalia while they had attacked her, seemed to thrash across his features as he snarled angrily like an enraged animal.

Sweat broke out on his forehead, matting his hair from where it fell over his eyes. He desperately tried not to hear the words, but they came anyway, filling his head like the pounding of a snare drum.

' _You will be my razing sword, my invincible warrior, my own personal Achilles to wreak calamity upon the gods, and more importantly, Sally Jackson, my cursed sister who ruined me. The Fates have deemed it so, my vengeance.'_  He hissed between his teeth, which, through the aid of the mirror, he noticed had taken on the appearance of an animal's fang.

When Percy had asked him to join his Quest to save his mother from Hades' Realm, he had been appalled by the kid's balls. The son of that lazy whore had practically begged him, the son of the woman who had been ruined by Percy's mother, to help him. But quickly, after his initial bouts of fury, he had begun to see opportunity.

While he would try to work with everyone, he would be orchestrating the origins of Percy Jackson's forsaking of the gods. Kronos, his master, had ordered him to gain the boy's trust and he would do that, he would to the utmost of his ability, but he refused to bring Sally Jackson back from the Underworld, where she should rot, no matter the Crooked One's orders.

And when Percy had brought Thalia into the conversation, he had been sorely tempted to kill the brat right then, but he had refrained from doing so, recognizing that every single plan that he and his master had would become ashes if he did so. So, after listening to the kid, and he must admit that Percy had the foundations for a being who even the gods would be wary of, especially with his gift for words, he had agreed to join, promising to help with the beginning of the Quest to get Hephaestus' Chains, knowing that his 'aid' would make him look good in Percy's eyes.

Afterward, he had immediately journeyed to the Hephaestus Cabin, specifically looking for Charlie Beckendorf, the counselor of the Hephaestus Cabin. When he had arrived, the burly son of the crippled god had raised an eyebrow, waving him in, his bionic arm shining in the light of the room. Even Luke himself didn't know the full story behind the arm, but he did know that a Hellhound had bitten the limb off, swallowing it whole. Apparently, when Charlie had been claimed by his father upon his arrival to Camp, the bionic arm had appeared on his person, a gift from Hephaestus himself.

Although he would never admit it, Luke was jealous for Hermes had never done anything for him except claiming him as his son - and that had been weeks after he had arrived.

" _It's not often when a fellow counselor stumbles into the ole' Hephaestus Cabin."_  Beckendorf had leaned forward, a fiery tong held in his hands, one flesh and the other metal.  _"So, what can I do for you, Luke?"_

" _I came to you because of Percy Jackson. Have you heard of him?"_

Charlie had snorted,  _"Who hasn't? He turned the scare pair into actual girls. It was great."_

" _It was great, Charlie, wasn't it? Who would have thought that anyone could do that to Robbie and Jackie?"_

" _Yes, so since you came here for him, I'll do whatever you need me to do. Everyone in Camp owes that guy a favor, so I might as well get mine over with. What do you need, Luke?"_

He had run his finger along the smooth surface of the table,  _"The kid is going on a Quest to Hades' Realm to save his mother, and I'm joining him - he asked nicely."_

Charlie had whistled, leaning back, stroking the fiery tongs, the fire having no effect.  _"That's some heavy shit, man: to Hades' Realm itself. Well, better you than me, I must admit. I would have refused if he had asked me, no matter what debt I owe him."_ Beckendorf had then put the tongs down, crossing his arms, the bionic arm whirring as the joints flexed.  _"What does Percy Jackson need with the Hephaestus Cabin?"_

" _Your father is famous throughout the Immortal Realm - or infamous, depending on whom you ask - for his creations, and his origins, too."_  Luke had then clasped his hands together, eyes connecting with Beckendorf's auburn ones.  _"Your father's Chains, the ones that bound Hera herself. Where are they? Percy Jackson wants to use them to bind Hades, thus holding leverage over the King of the Underworld."_

A deep laugh had escaped Charlie's lips,  _"That's a heavy price, Luke, even for the guy who humiliated the scare pair."_

" _He really needs them,"_

Charlie narrowed his eyes and finally sat down,  _"Let's say that, hypothetically, I did know the location of these Chains you speak of, that Jackson speaks of. Why would I reveal such a secret? I do respect the guy, admire him more than anyone because of what he did to the scare pair, but that secret is only something that is worth revealing for something as costly."_

Luke had nodded his head in understanding,  _"Oh, I completely agree, believe me, I do. Well, you mentioned that everyone in Camp owes him a favor, right?"_

" _Right, but where are you going with this, Luke?"_

" _What if the entire Hephaestus Cabin's so-called debt would be paid if you revealed the location of your father's Chains?"_

Charlie hadn't spoken then for several seconds,  _"So, correct me if I'm wrong, all of my siblings wouldn't have to owe a favor to Percy Jackson if the location of the Chains is given. Now is that right?"_

" _Yes, so what do you say, Charlie? Have we come to an accord?"_

Beckendorf had then grinned,  _"Yes, I think we have, Luke. I'll let my siblings know later, but to more important matters: the Chains' location. It is located in my father's favorite forge in Mount Saint Helens."_

Luke had smiled gratefully,  _"Thank you, Charlie, you've been a great help."_

" _Just as long as all of my own and my siblings' debts are paid, I was happy to help. Here's a recommendation, though, Luke: Mount Saint Helens is grossly-watched by Olympus. I don't know why, and none of my siblings don't either, but rumor has it that vanquished enemies of the gods reside there."_

He had raised his eyebrows in surprise, in intrigue.  _"Do you know who, my friend?"_ Perhaps he could please his master if he could report that he had found the location of any potential allies.

" _No, but I do know that the gods have always watched Mount Saint Helens and it is for that lone reason. Be wary, Luke, all of you. My father has intense - and by intense, I mean impenetrable - security measures. Be prepared and try not to go looking for these conquered foes. No good could come of it, so try to keep your innate sense of curiosity at bay, for the sake of this Quest."_

An easy smirk had crossed his features,  _"I'll do my best, Charlie."_

Now, still staring at his reflection, it was the morning when they would all leave for the Quest. It was the beginning of the end of his servitude for Camp Half-Blood. Soon, his true allegiance would be revealed and the knowledge that the Titans were rising would be common. The gods had been too pride-filled for the last time, and he would herald the new age: the age of Kronos and the Titans.

Luke wasn't naive enough to believe that all of the Titans would join them. Many in the first Titanomachy had betrayed their brethren for the young gods led by Zeus, followed by Poseidon and Hades. He knew that Prometheus, Helios, Selene, Epimetheus, Oceanus, Eos, and rumors still existed that suggested Rhea herself, the Titans' Queen, the wife of Kronos, and the mother of Olympus, didn't side with the Titans and her husband during the Titanomachy.

But this time, things would be different. He knew it. Because of the Olympians' many follies, almost every single 'minor' god would join the Titans and his master had admitted that his brother Oceanus would join them, playing a pivotal role in the second Titanomachy to come. His master hadn't decided whether or not Prometheus would live, but Luke didn't think too much on the fire-stealer.

All he thought on was that day when Thalia was transformed into that damned tree. He hated it, truly. If she had actually died like any other half-blood, Luke could rescue her right now from the Underworld just as Percy was doing for his mother, the lazy whore, but he couldn't. Instead, Zeus had transformed her dying body into a fucking tree, trapping her soul forever.

Snapping his fingers, the runes dancing in the air, he muttered under his breath in Ancient Greek, teleporting to Thalia's tree.

The scent of pine needles filled his nose, but he ignored it, staring at his dead lover's tree. After making certain, through his mageía, that nobody was in the vicinity, he touched the trunk intimately. "Soon, you'll return to my side, I promise. I will find a way even if it takes eons, Thalia. I've glimpsed it, in my dreams," he then kneeled in front of the tree. "You were alive and it was beautiful, everything that I could want. You'll return to this world somehow, my love, and I will be the cause of it, I swear. The gods' reign has reached its twilight, and the Titans will rise just as the Big Three did in eons past, vanquishing the rulers of the cosmos."

He stood to his feet and looked over Apollo's light, knowing that somewhere, Athos' father was riding his Sun Chariot, bring light to the world, but he also knew that Apollo mainly used his time in his Sun Chariot to look for beautiful mortal women whom he would seduce later when his sister began her duties.

Minutes passed as he stood there, the passage of time a blur in his mind. Everything was silent until it was suddenly pierced.

"You're here early," he turned to see Percy Jackson hiking up the hill. "I'm glad you're taking this seriously."

"I'm taking this Quest more seriously than you know, Percy," he said gravely.

Percy finally reached the apex of the hill, "Well, whatever the reasons, I appreciate it. And for whatever it's worth, Thalia seemed like a good person."

He wanted to rage and unleash his power on the boy, but he didn't, inhaling slowly to quell the irresistible urge. "She was the best, Percy, the best. I loved her like I have loved no one else in my life." For a moment, he saw the ghost of Thalia and he wanted to scream, but he blinked, the apparition disappearing just as the real Thalia did when Zeus cast down lightning.

"Maybe one day you'll rescue her from the tree," the kid pointed at it. "Grover told me about it, and her courage and bravery are traits that I'll never meet."

Luke actually looked at Percy, observing the somber features. "No, but your power and strength are traits that she could never meet." He laughed brokenly at his shocked features. "I doubt that Thalia, while incredibly powerful, could have ever killed the Minotaur, even if she was in optimal condition. No half-blood in the history of our kind's existence, save for Poseidon's son, Theseus, has ever killed the Minotaur. Hercules, the first Perseus, your namesake, and every other of the most powerful demigods to ever exist have never been able to send the beast back to Tartarus. The Minotaur has battled and killed countless children of the gods, specifically those of the Big Three and Hercules and Ares' blood, triumphing over all of them. Yet, you managed it with no training - unprecedented and unthinkable. I know that Thalia could have never done that; the Fates are with you, Percy."

"Why couldn't she defeat the Furies, though, Luke? Both Grover and Annabeth mentioned that she was struggling or something. Why?"

"Her body was growing weaker with each passing day, Percy." He noticed the kid's surprised expression, but ignored it. "When I realized the problem, that's when I began to learn everything that I could about Camp Half-Blood. Then, all of us did our best to succeed, living a life free from the monsters."

"What was the problem, Luke? Why was she sick?"

Luke whirled around, glaring down at Percy, respecting the fact that the kid refused to look away or cower, but he was angry. "The problem was that her body was becoming weak and the fucking gods didn't do anything about it. Your father, the almighty Zeus, did nothing as Hades' beasts swarmed us."

After a moment, Zeus' newest son licked his lips. "Well, this will be your chance to do something about it. When we get the Chains, Hades' will be the prey instead of the predator."

XxXxXxXxXxX

**That's all for this one, folks! I hope you all enjoyed it, and please, leave a comment. It helps me out to see what you guys think and to read potential suggestions.**

****Percy learns a lot more about life at Camp, specifically what happened with Thalia, and about Zeus. I had actually not known about the swan-raping-part for Helen of Troy's mother, and the fact that Perseus, Percy Jackson's namesake, was conceived via a golden rain. I hope that Percy's reactions to each epiphany that he experienced seemed realistic. I had struggled with them for a while because I honestly hadn't been sure.**

****Percy learns about how Hestia aided Sally in concealing he and Athos for as long as possible. I always thought that if any immortal, whether god or Titan, would be willing to do something like that it would be Hestia, and I'm certain that most of you would agree with that assessment. She's the only god - goddess, technically - who truly cares for her family, willing to die for any one of them. Could you see Zeus or Poseidon or Hades doing that for each other's children? And Athena or Aphrodite or Artemis? What about Hera and Demeter? Only Hestia is who cares, and maybe Rhea, Percy's grandmother on his father's side.**

****Some of the quotes that Eddie said, I didn't come up with them. I've heard them from** _**Robert Frank** _ **on YouTube. I used them because it definitely seems like what a child of Hercules and/or Ares would say. The dude's hilarious so check him out if you want to. (Do the rage videos - just a suggestion if you do look him up.)**

****Okay, Hephaestus' Chains. I know that it was the throne that Hephaestus had built that captured Hera in mythology, but I think that the Chains are a better idea, especially since it can be transported secretly, handed off to others. (The throne was just a decoy, masking the truly sinister intent that Hephaestus had put in motion.) Now, each god has a reason to fear them, and fear Hephaestus even. He could make more of them, you know? And as for the location, I know that Mount Saint Helens isn't introduced until the** _**Battle of the Labyrinth** _ **and it's where things get serious, but I'm changing it. It is known that Hephaestus' favorite forge is in Mount Saint Helens, so it makes sense that his most valuable creations are housed there and that it, as a result, has the greatest security, even for a god. The Chains would be incredibly valuable - priceless! Any of the gods could use them, if they were readily available, to overthrow the others. So, I think that Hephaestus would keep them himself, secreting them away in his favorite forge with the greatest security in the history of the world. And naturally, Percy has decided to snatch them for himself, intending to use them on Hades because Chiron shared the story when he had been his history teacher in school.**

****Okay, I know that the castration that Percy dealt to Robbie Hanson in the last chapter was cruel and graphic, but because he had been blinded by rage and grief, Percy hadn't actually thought through his actions. Now, he is beginning to see that he had gone too far - way too far. Also, no permanent damage was dealt to Robbie, except for psychological, because the Apollo Cabin regrew his genitals.**

****I know that Percy never cussed in the original series except in Ancient Greek, but respectfully, that was asinine. The only reason that happened was that the series was written mainly for children and young teenagers - maybe young adults. I'm changing that, obviously; Percy grew up in New York, after all. He would hold no qualms in cursing. And also, every teenager and most young adults curse worse than a sailor. It is completely irrational to hold Percy and all of the other half-bloods to a 'PG' word-usage. Add the fact that all half-bloods are constantly on the edge because of the pressure and potential monster attacks, they would swear like soldiers swear overseas fighting in wars.**

****And since I referenced it a lot, for those of you who might not know: Chiron is a son of Kronos, brother to the Big Three themselves and Hera and Demeter and Hestia. Kronos had a tryst with the nymph Philyra, and because it had been interrupted by Rhea, Kronos' wife, The King of the Titans sought to escape her notice, so he shape-shifted into a horse, thus resulting in the birth of Chiron - and his appearance because Kronos had begotten him in a horse's shape. It's been far too long since I've read the actual series, so I can't remember if it delves into that tidbit about Chiron or not.**

_**Stay Safe  
** _ **ButtonPusher**


	5. Chapter 4

**Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone! I love hearing the feedback you guys have, whether it's positive or negative. It makes my day every time I see a new review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own** _**Percy Jackson** _ **or any characters associated with the series or in actual Mythology.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Things were different, he could feel it. No longer was he the simple 'mortal' whom he had always mistakenly believed himself to be. Now, the changes were subtle, but wholly encompassing at the same time - a paradox beyond a paradox. As soon as they had all left Camp, the moment when he had passed through the barrier, a feeling had washed over him, freezing him on the spot.

His power was unmasked, and his brother's was, as well. He had no idea how to mask them, for he hadn't learned from his mother, and stupidly hadn't thought to ask any of Hecate's children at Camp, if there were even any. Now, as the group of five were in the heart of New York City, Percy felt twitchy, antsy - how hadn't they been noticed yet? Luke was the leader even though it was Percy's Quest, but he had deferred to the older half-blood, trusting him, thankful for the guy's actions in securing the knowledge of the whereabouts for Hephaestus' Chains.

"Hey, Luke, where are we going?" Annabeth asked from her side next to Luke. "If we want to go to the Underworld- "

"We first need to know where the Underworld is, Annabeth," the son of Hermes grunted, runes engraved in his arms glowing as Percy looked on in fascination. "That's what I'm trying to do, and then afterward, we'll begin the trip to the state of Washington after a little stop someplace first."

Percy leaned forward, trying to glimpse the runes on Luke's skin, "How are you going to find the location of the portal to the Underworld?"

"Magic, Percy, magic," the reply was dry. "All gods are magic-wielders, but Hecate is the supreme authority and the strongest of any immortal, no matter who they are, even the Big Three. It seems that I inherited some of my father's ability for magic, so I might as well use it."

"Could you teach Athos and I, then?"

"Maybe, but there are more important matters to deal with. I know that you noticed where we're at, but do you realize the significance of the nursing home across the street?"

Grover snorted, "To hopefully receive some 'points' with any potential onlookers, specifically the attractive group of ladies over there?"

Annabeth scowled at Grover's words and Athos, who had glimpsed the expression, quickly spoke up. "That's a stupid thing to do, Grover," his brother risked a glance at Athena's daughter and received nothing in reply.

Percy rolled his eyes at his brother's blatant crush and attempts to impress her. "What can be so important about a nursing home, Luke? It's just full of old people."

"And what do old people do, Percy?" Luke asked, muttered words of Ancient Greek escaping his lips, that somehow, Percy understood.  _'The Realm of the Dead do we seek, where Death leaves you to face all that seems bleak. Help us find it, any departed soul. Without your aid, we will never reach our goal.'_

"Um… play chess?" Athos guessed, "How about sleep? I bet that they do a lot of that!"

Grover tapped his crutches together, "No, my little friend, old people are more likely to try their hands at puzzles. Maybe some last minute gambling, trying to secure their grandchildren's futures. Am I right, Luke?"

"They die!" Luke snapped, glaring at Grover with a hideous frown, ignoring the concerned glances from other sidewalk-walkers. "That's what old people do: they kick the bucket."

Grover looked subdued and Percy was reminded of his best friend's words from yesterday.  _'Luke has had it out for me since Thalia's death.'_

Percy then clasped his friend on the shoulder, silently supporting him. "Okay, that was quite a crass way to put it, Luke, but why is that so impor- …holy shit!" He exclaimed after a moment of silence, "That's genius! You're waiting for one of the old people to die and then what? Their souls leave their body and Hades collects them?"

Luke looked at him, seeming impressed, "Close, my friend, close, but no. Thanatos will collect the newly-departed souls and drop them off to Hades, who takes… care of them, I guess you could say. We'll know when Thanatos shows up, I'm certain, and I'll simply put a small tracking spell on the fallen soul."

"Why not on Thanatos, Luke?" Athos demanded, "Wouldn't it be easier since we'll know when he shows up?"

"You'd think that, right? But, no, we can't do that. Thanatos is Death himself, the harbinger of sorrow for mortals. He is immensely powerful- …and, actually, now that I'm thinking about it, nobody knows how powerful. He does serve Hades, so I suspect that he's stronger than most immortals, but below the Big Three."

Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows, "But that can't be right, Luke, can it? Thanatos is the son of Nyx and Erebus - he's a Primordial himself. How could he… fall under the Big Three's power?"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted before Luke could answer. "Who are Nyx and Erebus? And what the hell is a Primordial?" Annabeth looked appalled by his question, lips parting in pure shock. "Why are you looking at me like that? Who are they? I've never heard of them."

Athena's daughter huffed, "Nyx and Erebus are Primordials, Percy,"

"Well, of course," he snarked. "I figured that out because, apparently, Thanatos, who is a Primordial himself, is the son of Nyx and Erebus." He dimly noticed that Luke had returned to chanting.

"That's no reason to be rude, though," she glowered up at him, but he was unimpressed.

"I'm sorry for being crass towards you, but I could be a lot more rude, in all honesty. If you think that's being rude, you're in for an awakening. Anyway, Primordials are…?" He asked, leaning his head forward. "They're gods, right?"

Annabeth sighed, "The Primordials were the first race of deities and beings to come into existence, predating both the Titans and the reign of Olympus. Legend says that their sizes were incalculable, astronomical, cosmic beings who reigned eternal."

"Why the past tense, then?" Athos wondered, bright eyes shining with curiosity.

Luke finally stopped muttering that mantra under his breath and his exhale of breath was audible. "I guess that it's time for a history lesson, then. You should have learned this at Camp, but since you were so quick to receive a Quest, you'll learn it now because you need to know it. The Protogenoi formed the fabric of the world, coming into existence from Chaos, the Realm where the Void and the Creators exist."

Grover nodded his head, turning towards Percy. "Did you catch that? The Creators, as in plural? It's important, trust me."

"Yes, I did," he said slowly, wondering where the story would lead.

"Good, Chronos and- "

"Ananke," he whispered, remembering the Oracle's words. "Chronos and Ananke are the Creators, aren't they?"

Luke's dark eyes pierced Percy's white orbs. "Yes, but how did you know that?"

He shook his head, feeling uncomfortable. "Chiron must have mentioned it in class or something," he purposefully avoided Grover's questioning stare.

Luckily, Luke seemed to buy his excuse. "Well, they say that existence is measured in age, is it not? Time begins at birth, at creation, but inevitably, time for any being, god or Titan or even Primordial, comes to an end. Except, of course, for Time itself; it, or I should say he, will outlast all. The legends reveal that upon the first stroke in the vastness of the Void and even beyond, Chronos - Time himself - simply came to be. They say that emptiness was infinite and that Chronos' only companion was Ananke, Fate herself. Time and Fate then procreated, giving birth to their children, the Protogenoi. Then, together, they shut their offspring out of the Void, to the space where the world had yet to form."

"What about the Primordials?" Athos asked, "Nyx and Erebus, and any others, what did they do?"

Annabeth chuckled, gray eyes brimming with haughtiness. "What else? They battled, of course, the very wrath of the Protogenoi raging out of control for eternity, never tiring, forever fighting. But eventually, Primordials began to fall, their very dying physical bodies creating the world, fashioning it into shape, into being." Annabeth pointed around, "Look around you, Athos and Percy, this world was founded by the body parts of the Protogenoi. Now, there are still Protogenoi in existence, but they are weak, much weaker than the strongest of their race, who included: Ouranos, Gaia, Tartarus, Pontus, Erebus, Nyx, Aether, Eros, Hemera, Thalassa, Ourea, and Hydros."

"And the ones still alive?" Percy wet his lips, wondering if any of the strongest of the Protogenoi were still in existence, "Who are they?"

"Morpheus, Hypnos, Thanatos, Charon, Eris, Nemesis, Akhlys, Gaia, and Tartarus are the only Primordials still in existence, who can actually manifest themselves in a physical body, whom the gods know of. You're familiar with the story of Kronos, are you not?" Annabeth asked while Luke turned away, and Percy dimly noticed that he returned to his Ancient Greek quiet chanting.

"Yes, of course, I am. He's my grandfather, apparently," he replied, feeling offended. "Chiron taught it in class."

Grover shook his head, "He taught a very abridged version, my friend. If you want to survive and even thrive in this new world that you've been forced into, you're going to need to understand the full story."

"Well said, Grover, I commend you." Annabeth complimented, "As the Primordial War finally ended, there were three of the mighty Protogenoi remaining: Ouranos, Gaia, and Tartarus. The former two, who would later, respectively, become the Sky and Earth - not the planet, but the soil and dirt and so on - allied with each other and through their combined strength, nearly destroyed Tartarus, but from what the gods know, a small and weak fraction of his essence survives where his body fell - the domain of Tartarus: the deep, fathomless abyss of torment and suffering, the very prison of the Titans. After Tartarus' seeming destruction, Ouranos and Gaia, after confirming that none of the weaker Primordials would rise up, procreated, creating the Titan race."

"I know the rest," he interrupted. "Gaia eventually became outraged by her husband's cruelty to their children, the Hecatonchires and the Cyclops, and ordered the Titans to destroy Ouranos, but only Kronos had the balls to do it, and when he did somehow manage to destroy his father - thus, apparently, creating the Sky - he was deemed King of the Titans. Then, however, it was prophesied that Kronos would be overthrown by his own children, just as Kronos had overthrown Ouranos. Fearing his fate, his very destiny, the King of the Titans devoured his children one by one, until finally, his wife, whatever her name was, couldn't handle another such loss, and hid her final child, my father, Zeus. She instead gave her husband a rock, and because Kronos was such a moron, he foolishly swallowed it, thinking that it had been the child who she had given birth to."

"Your grandmother's name was Rhea, Percy," the daughter of Athena said quickly. "And as your father grew, his desire to free his siblings was nurtured, and when he did return to the place of his birth to liberate the swallowed-gods, slicing open Kronos' stomach, spilling his own father's lifeblood, the tide of blood drowning innocent animals, the first Titanomachy began." Annabeth finished.

"Okay, that's not too bad," he shrugged. "So, when is Death himself, who is, apparently, weaker than my dad, coming?"

Luke quieted his chants, eyes snapping open in a dark flash, "The Fates must be smiling down on us because this is ironic: he's here, Death is here. Can't you feel him?"

Percy stared at the nursing home and felt the power inside him and slowly, ever so slowly, he reached out like a learning baby, and he felt it, the presence full of dark power, of withering decay and frailty.

"Yes, I can, but do the tracking spell!" He cried out, feeling the presence ebb away like a shadow in the light. "He's leaving!"

"I just did it, Percy. Give me a moment to…" Luke's eyes became wide, "Well, I'll be damned in the Fields of Punishment like a cheap hooker. The Underworld is in, believe it or not, Hollywood."

He blinked, "You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm not,"

Athos threw his arms in the air, "Why Hollywood? That doesn't make sense!"

Annabeth's sigh was heard by them all, echoing in the air. "It doesn't matter whether or not it makes sense, you fools. It's perfect; the Fates, indeed, are smiling down on us. We know that we need to go to Washington for the Chains, but now, we won't need to make a long trip to the Underworld. California is only a couple thousand miles away from Washington."

"Good, so are we leaving?" Grover bleated, "I don't like being so exposed, so out in the open like this. I feel like there are monsters staring at us right now."

Luke snapped his fingers, runes floating in the air in a dark light. "Yes, but first, we need to make a quick stop."

"Why?" Athos demanded, looking solemn. "Why can't we go rescue our mom already?"

Percy narrowed his eyes as Luke's fists clenched ominously. "It's a long trip to Washington - and to the Underworld, nonetheless. You three," he pointed at Annabeth, Athos, and Percy, "need protection. Grover and I can handle ourselves, mostly, but you three? You're sitting ducks for monsters. I have some shields that you three can use - and good ones, at that."

He exhaled roughly, "Fine, so where do we need to go to get the shields?"

"To my brother's," was Luke's reply as he began to walk, the rest of them following dutifully. "Don't worry, it's not far. We just need to go to  _Fitz Global._ "

His brother's jaw dropped and Percy narrowly refrained from having the same reaction. "The billionaire's company?" Athos demanded, running up to Luke. "He's famous!"

Luke continued walking, "He's the son of a god, a son of Hermes like me. So, yes, Patrick Fitzroy Patrick is my brother."

"How do you even know him?" Grover asked, looking baffled. "When did you meet him? And what the hell kind of name is Patrick Fitzroy Patrick? Is that his full name?"

"Yes, that's his full name. In history," Luke began, "the surname of Fitzroy identified a bastard son of a king. Henry VIII's son- "

Athos interrupted, "The wife-killer? The King of England?"

"- is a perfect example of that: Henry Fitzroy. Yes, Athos, that Henry VIII. And from what my brother has shared with me, his mother named him Patrick because Hermes had masqueraded as a mortal named Patrick who had grand dreams of ruling a kingdom. So, my brother's name literally translates to: Patrick, the bastard son of King Patrick. The name's quite popular in Ireland I hear: FitzPatrick, at least, an amalgamated version."

"When did you meet him, then? How do you even know him?" Annabeth tilted her head to the side, seeming quite puzzled. "How come you've never told me?"

"Oh, I had seen pictures of him, Annabeth, viewing the astounding similar looks between all of Hermes' children and him, and so, during the Christmas season this past winter, I met him and he revealed that he was a son of Hermes, too. That's when, as a gesture of good faith towards my newly-found brother, I asked him to look after the three shields for me. As to why I didn't tell you, I didn't want you to get offended."

"Why?"

Luke chuckled, "Well, he's quite blunt and, from what I've seen, brutally honest and uncaring for one's own emotions. He's a cool guy, though, a real nice one."

Annabeth smiled, "That's a paradox, you know? So, your brother is one who abides by the philosophy that facts take precedence over one's feelings?"

"Sort of, and he doesn't give a damn, as long as, in his words, the river of money stays flowing."

Percy scrunched his eyebrows, "How is he in the Mortal Realm, then? He doesn't have magic, right? That's the only reason that my mom and Athos and I were able to survive for so long."

Luke turned, pointing at the huge skyscraper. "He's not a grandson of Hecate like you and Athos, if what I've heard about Sally Jackson is correct, if that was what you were asking, Percy. I don't know the answer to how he has stayed in the Mortal Realm without the use of mageía for so long, but I'm sure that you could ask him when we meet him because, frankly, that's an excellent question, one that I wonder myself."

"Did Hermes disown him?" Annabeth wondered, "That's the only explanation that I could think of as to how monsters haven't murdered him."

"I'm not sure," the son of Hermes frowned. "It's a possibility, though, but I have no idea what he could have possibly done to piss off our father; Hermes is notorious for his laid-back attitude on Olympus, a similarity that he and Apollo share from what I've heard."

Percy shrugged and, after looking both ways, crossed the street. "Let's go ask him," he called out.

"Wait!" Luke cried out and Percy stopped in the middle of traffic, immediately blurring back to the group in a streak of lightning, eyes panicked. What if people saw him?

He looked around, but nobody seemed to notice. "What the fuck just happened?" He muttered, watching as Luke and Annabeth and even Grover all looked very amused. "Did nobody just see that? I literally blurred back here in a blaze of lightning, in less than a second!"

"You didn't explain the Mist to him?" Luke glanced at Grover with an amused brow raised. "Must I do everything?" He placed a hand on Percy's shoulder. "Very well. All right, my friend, here it goes: the Mist is a supernatural force that was created by your own grandmother so that- "

"The Titan, Rhea created the Mist? That doesn't make sense." Athos' brows were furrowed, "That… oh, you mean Hecate! She was our mom's mom!"

Luke inhaled slowly, "Yes, Hecate, Athos. Anyway, your grandmother created the Mist to prevent mortals from learning about the gods and the Immortal Realm."

"How does it work?" Percy asked, wondering if his mother ever used it.

"The Mist twists a mortal's mind and sight from witnessing any inkling of gods, monsters, Titans, and any other potential mythological creature and supernatural occurrences. It then replaces whatever is actually happening with something that the mortal mind could comprehend." Annabeth said before Luke could.

Percy saw a middle-aged man approaching on the sidewalk and had an idea. "Hey!" He called out, walking towards him, wanting to test their words. "Excuse me, sir, but what do you see when I do this?" The energy slowly condensed into his hand and streams of beautiful lightning sparkled and crackled with power.

The man frowned, "That's one ugly tattoo, kid, you might want to think about removing it."

"Okay, but how about this?" Feeling quite confident, he pulled out the pen from his pocket and pointed it directly at the man, watching in awe as it, once again, transformed into the beautiful Greek sword.

"Kid, get that fuckin' baseball bat out of my face," the man huffed and turned around, muttering about idiotic teenagers.

Annabeth laughed, "Don't you see? The Mist is great!"

"But it doesn't always work," Grover said and Percy whirled towards him. "It is extremely rare but a clear-sighted mortal is sometimes encountered, and as a result, the Mist doesn't work on them."

Athos grinned wickedly, eyes gleaming. "So you're saying that these clear-sighted mortals can see through the lies of the Jedi, right?"

Percy groaned aloud, ignoring Grover's barely stifled laughter. "I thought that we had agreed that you would stop quoting Star Wars prequel memes?"

"I thought that the deal was only for a year," his brother stared up at him innocently.

He shook his head, "Now, we're making it two years. It's only been a few months and you just quoted one! The deal wasn't over yet."

Athos looked distraught, "But that's not fair! You said only a year."

Percy grinned triumphantly, seizing his opportunity. "I'm altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further." He quoted Darth Vader with a smirk.

His brother's jaw dropped before a brilliant smile split his features, "That was awesome!" He high-fived him.

"You two are peculiar," the daughter of Athena said with displeasure.

Luke's lips had twitched slightly in a smile but it was gone. "Anyway, before all of that started, I want to message my brother. I need a few drachmas. Anyone got some?" Immediately, Annabeth reached into her own pocket, pulling out a few silver coins. "Thank you, Annabeth."

Grover pulled out a bottle of water, "Athos, my little friend, can you shoot some fire at the water as it is being poured out?"

His brother recoiled, "What? I don't know how to do that."

"Yes, you do, Athos. It's in your blood, remember? I've seen it. You can do it." Grover smiled gently, "Just focus and feel it, refusing to cower. You're strong, stronger than you know."

"You are," Percy nodded his head, placing a hand on Athos' tense shoulder. "I don't care if you can shoot fire out from your fists, okay? In fact, one thing that I learned in the school this past year - the only thing, actually - was that fire and lightning are kin to another; at least the… the mortals think so."

Athos looked up hopefully, "Really?"

"Yes, so we'll always be family no matter what. Plus, we're grandsons of Hecate, too. I'm certain that when we rescue mom from the depths of Hades, she'll teach us how to use magic as she does. We'll always be bonded forever, brother mine."

"I'd like that," his brother murmured before his eyes closed. "You can start pouring, Grover, but do it slowly, please." Percy watched as Grover tipped the bottle slightly, the echoing sound of water splashing against the sidewalk lightly ever-present. His brother's breathing became heavier and his fists began to burn brightly, glowing with dashing veins of pure sunlight. His brother's eyes snapped open and fire burned in his hands. Athos stared down at the strong, flickering flames in awe before he pushed his hands, streams of fire smashing into the water, steam beginning to cloud through the air.

Grover immediately whispered something in Ancient Greek that was too low for Percy to hear and a rainbow sparkled out of the steam. Then Annabeth tossed the coins into the rainbow, "Oh, Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept this offering and show us Patrick Fitzroy Patrick."

A swirling image coalesced in the air and a handsome man appeared, looking quite similar to Luke. He blinked and a huge smile split his features.  _"Luke! How have you been, my man? I've been wondering when I'd hear from you."_

Luke stepped into the main sight of the… image. "Hey, how's it going? I'm on a Quest and I need those shields that I gave you. Do you still have them?"

" _Oh, yeah, just come on by and pick them up. I'd love to talk to you. Hey, is that a son of Apollo and daughter of Athena who I see?"_

"Yes, and you can talk to them in a few minutes. We're actually just right outside of your building."

Patrick Fitzroy Patrick beamed,  _"Come on in, I'm just in the middle of a meeting with this fat prick who had been like godzilla, shaking the whole building when he made his way into my office."_

" _How dare you?"_  A deep voice growled out and Percy gathered that the voice belonged to the 'fat prick' who had been like godzilla.  _"Why would you say that to my face? Show decorum, Patrick!"_

Percy leaned forward, wanting to hear the answer and he wasn't disappointed.  _"I would say it to your back, fatass, but you're already taking up all of the space in my office! Not to mention, your face is fatter than any that I've ever seen!"_

" _I do not have a fat face!"_

" _Yes, you do! I've been waiting for the reveal that you're storing your nuts for winter. And your head is fat, too!"_

" _I'm going to take everything from you, Patrick! When I'm through with you, I'll own everything! You won't even be able to work at McDonald's afterward."_

" _Oh, please, the only thing more hollow than that threat is your already-mentioned big, fat head."_

" _I've had just about enough of you! You better watch it, or the deal is off!"_

" _Well, you know what? I guarantee that you wouldn't be saying that shit if I came with some extra large curly fries and a fat-building soda 'cause you obviously love those! Oh, I shouldn't have said that, man, I didn't mean that. …Haven't you ever had something just fall out of your mouth- …oh, I guess not since you clearly eat everything in sight."_

Luke sighed, placing his fingers on his nose. "We'll be their soon, Patrick, okay?"

Athos frowned, eyebrows furrowing. "Is the other man a mortal? How does he hear it? Can he see it, see us?"

Grover shushed him. "The Mist is probably showing Patrick Fitzroy Patrick speaking on a cell phone right now. That's why the 'fat prick' can communicate with us, sort of."

"But Patrick Fitzroy Patrick said that he saw a daughter of Athena and a… a son of… Apollo. What would the other man think of that?"

"Who cares?" Percy quietly interjected. "The Mist must have changed the words in the man's mind, shaping it to be something more plausible. Just listen!"

" _You'll be hearing from my attorney, you jackass!"_  The 'fat prick' declared.

Patrick Fitzroy Patrick's snort echoed.  _"I didn't even want this deal anyway, it was a shit show. Matter of fact, answer me this: where did you find this so-called attorney? The ice cream shop?"_

"Okay, bye-bye," Luke swiped a hand through the… image and smiled. "See? Quite a great guy, right?" He asked sarcastically.

"That was pretty funny," Percy confessed. "If I'm ever in that situation, I might just use those."

"You might have that chance sooner than you think," the son of Hermes muttered. "Let's go,"

XxXxXxXxXxX

"You sneaky motherfucker!" Percy watched as Luke was pulled into a fierce hug by his older brother. "I've been holding onto these bad boy shields of yours since the Winter Solstice and was thinking about selling them - I've had them too long!"

Luke smiled tightly, to Percy's confusion. "That would have been a bad idea, trust me."

"Well, come on," Patrick Fitzroy Patrick waved them all in, looking at Percy and Athos curiously. "I know that one of you is a son of Apollo, it's a blatantly dead giveaway, but you both share traits that make me think that… you're both still somehow siblings."

Athos looked happier than Percy had seen him since their mom had… been killed. "Really? You can tell?"

"Yeah, the similarities are subtle, and not many would notice, but then again, the Aphrodite Cabin had always declared that I was more observant than any other male. Let me guess, the same mother?"

Percy nodded, "Yeah, my name is Percy and this is my younger brother, Athos."

Patrick Fitzroy Patrick grinned, perfect teeth flashing. "Well, it's an honor to meet you both, a far better experience than that fat whale who I had just been forced to converse with."

"So, where are my shields?" Luke interrupted, looking almost impatient. "We're on a Quest, so we can't stay in one place for too long, lest we draw monsters to your presence."

"Don't worry!" The billionaire laughed boisterously, patting his waist, lifting up his shirt before any of them could react, revealing the sight of a bronze-colored, glowing belt. "This bad-lookin' motherfucker here has kept me safe ever since I left Camp a dozen years ago - it's useful, helpful, and effective. The trifecta!"

"A Celestial Bronze belt?" Grover frowned, craning his head forward, "Why are you wearing it?"

Annabeth's eyes shone with comprehension and excitement. "It nullifies your abilities and thus, your aura of power!"

Patrick Fitzroy Patrick smiled smugly with pride. "Yes, ma'am, it sure does, and guess what? It also masks my scent."

Luke raised his eyebrows, "Really? How? You're not a magic-wielder."

"Correct, my brother, correct, but this belt was enchanted by one of Hecate's daughters when I was still at Camp. You see, I knew that I was never going to live continuously at Camp Half-Blood; I wanted to live in the Mortal Realm and make a name for myself and be remembered, not forgotten as most half-bloods are. So, when I was fifteen, I concocted the belt idea and tricked some of Hephaestus' children to make the belt, able to inherently stretch and shrink to my waist size. Then, because she owed me a favor, Sally enchanted the belt so that it would conceal my demigod scent."

Percy's eyes widened and his lips parted for he knew, without a doubt, that Patrick was speaking of his mother. "Sally? Sally! You knew Sally Jackson?"

The billionaire's smile faded and a look of concern crossed his features, "Yes, but how do you know her? She died after she left Camp on her eighteenth birthday. I never saw her again. She's been dead for around sixteen years now." A sad and almost wistful-looking emotion shone in his eyes.

"Know her? She's our mom!" Athos cried out, a haunted look beginning to appear on his face.

Patrick Fitzroy Patrick blinked, a multitude of emotions rapidly coloring his countenance. "She's alive? Sally's alive? You're her children?"

"They are," Grover said confidently. "I met Sally myself and she was definitely a daughter of Hecate, the strongest who I've ever seen."

The billionaire analyzed both Percy and Athos with his eyebrows furrowed. "Athos is Apollo's son, that's obvious, but whose son are you, Percy? I've never seen a half-blood who looks like you, something which tells me that you are truly special."

"He is Zeus' son, Rick," Luke said before anyone else could. "He's the King of the gods' son. Technically, he could even be classified as the Prince of Olympus."

"You don't say," Patrick Fitzroy Patrick exhaled roughly. "She's alive? By the gods, she faked her death, that clever woman. So Sally laid with both Zeus and Apollo, but where is she? Why isn't she with you? I like to think that I knew Sally pretty well and I know that she would never let her kids proceed on a Quest without her."

Percy swallowed and tried to answer, but no words passed his lips, emotions beginning to overwhelm him. Athos' lip quivered and they huddled together in support, unable to answer the questions.

Grover did for them, "Sally died protecting both of her children, Mr. Patrick Fitzroy Patrick. The Minotaur had been unleashed on us as we tried to reach Camp and Sally was killed by that bastard. That's what the Quest is for, actually. Percy and Athos are going to rescue their mom from the depths of the Underworld and ensnare Hades in the Chains of Hephaestus, forcing him to relinquish her."

"Oh, Sally," the man breathed out, looking saddened. "I always knew that you would have been a good mother." He turned to both Percy and Athos, a forlorn and mournful expression on his face. "I'm sorry for your loss, boys, and I'm not going to insult you by declaring that I understand how you feel or that I miss her, too, because that would be fuckin' wrong. Your mother was too good for the hand that the Fates had dealt her. Anything that you guys need, just let me know and it's yours. Money isn't an issue and even if it was, I wouldn't fuckin' care."

Percy nodded thankfully, finally controlling his emotions, stuffing them back down while several tears fell down Athos' cheeks. "Thank you, sir. You cared for my mother deeply, didn't you?"

Patrick Fitzroy Patrick paused before he inhaled slowly. "Please, call me Rick, and I'll be honest with ya: I was enthralled with your mother, Percy. She was incredible and beautiful and so strong, stronger than anyone else who I've met. Matter of fact, I can see her strength in you two."

"She raised us the right way," he said softly, his emotions in chaos, and just when he had thought that he had controlled them. "If you are sincere about your offer- "

"And I am, I swear on the River Styx." Thunder shook the building and Percy felt his admiration and respect for the billionaire increase.

"- then if we could get those shields that Luke keeps talking about, it would help us a lot with the Quest to get our mom back."

Rick nodded, "Sure, right this way, I'll show you all." He turned around and everyone began to follow him, but Percy remained where he was standing.

"I need a drink of water," he called out lamely. "I'll meet you in a few minutes." Luke glanced back at him and he knew that the guy didn't believe him for a second, but he tactfully didn't say anything.

"Understandable, Percy," Rick's voice began to diminish as he continued to lead everyone else away. "To your right, there's a water machine. Help yourself."

Percy smiled tightly and walked to the water machine when he noticed it, pulling a cup of water to his lips with a shaking hand, hoping that the water would help soothe his warring mind and heart, all of the emotions chaotically smashing into one another, threatening to transform his mindset into eternal mood-swings.

He stepped towards the large, glass window, the sunlight warming him even through the material and he dimly wondered if Apollo was looking at him. He stared at his reflection, instead, observing the pale skin and white orbs, the heartbroken expression on his face. He shook himself several times for he couldn't afford to show weakness, not now! He needed to be strong for Athos during the duration of the Quest so that they could get their mom back. His brother looked up to him for guidance and Percy refused to show his sorrow, his emotional anguish. Slowly, he worked to adjust the facade of calm arrogance, and after several more moments, he opened his eyes in satisfaction.

But when he caught sight of his reflection, he recoiled in shock, the cup of water falling to the floor with the force of a bomb. It wasn't his reflection that stared back at him with narrowed eyes and a curious expression on their face, but his father's. Percy's breathing elevated and he looked wildly around, trying to see if Zeus was in the room, but no, he was just in the reflection of the glass, staring at him critically.

He tried to be brave and gather his composure, but he knew that his words sounded like those of a beaten child's. "It is an honor to invoke the gaze of the King of the gods."

Zeus' head tilted upward, the white orbs that were identical to Percy's own, a beacon to his eyes.  _"You know who I am, another riddle added to the surplus of questions that your existence has caused me. You have claimed yourself as my son multiple times, a blasphemous slight that I should smite you for, but as I stare at you now, I cannot help but realize that you are, indeed, of my blood. I can feel it, the bond that we share that you know nothing of. The lightning and thunder sing in your blood, declaring: 'Son of the Sky, Son of the Sky.' Who are you?"_

"I'm Percy, sir- I mean, um, I'm Perseus Jackson," he said warily, mind working furiously, trying to figure out what… his father wanted. Why was he here? Was he here to kill him? But that couldn't be right for Zeus had just declared that Percy was actually his son, something that did bring him small amounts of pleasure.

" _Jackson?"_  Zeus' eyes seemed to stare into his soul, and he wondered if his father was somehow reading his mind.  _"I have no memory of your conception, Perseus, so how are you my son? Who is your mother?"_

He swallowed, "My mother is- …was Sally Jackson, sir, a um… she was a daughter of Hecate."

His father's white orbs seemed to glow brighter, shaming any stars in the heavens.  _"My, power is written in your Fate, isn't it? A son of Zeus, one with incredible potential and still growing, and yet you are a legacy, the grandson of Hecate. You have the ability to be very dangerous, and I might just have use for you."_

"Have use for me?" He echoed, "What the fu- …what is that supposed to mean?"

" _You received a Quest from the Oracle, tell me of what it says."_  Zeus suddenly demanded and Percy didn't dare demand that his father ask Apollo to spit out at him, so he told him the words. After, his father looked pleased and nodded his head.  _"Return my Bolt to me and I will claim you as my own and give you a priceless gift, my son."_

"And what about… Poseidon's Trident?" He asked hesitantly, uncertain of what he should do, afraid of angering Zeus.

" _I don't care about my brother's weapon, I care about mine. A god has no family, you would do well to remember that."_  Percy frowned at those words, remembering the bond that he had glimpsed between Zeus and Poseidon during his dream after the Minotaur.  _"Retrieve my Bolt from the darkness that blocks my sight and bring the knowledge of the thief, too. I will not tolerate anything less."_

He swallowed, feeling insignificant in front of a mere reflection of his father, nearly quivering in place, but his words were remarkably clear. "I will return the Bolt, King of the gods,"

Zeus seemed satisfied and his white orbs stared through Percy, looking at something that he couldn't.  _"Be wary of a pretty face, Perseus. You never know which one is a snake and which one isn't. The mortals say that the eyes are cursed hooks to the soul, and I suspect that you wouldn't want your soul to be eternally trapped in a statue."_

Percy blinked as his father vanished from the glass, his own reflection now staring back at him. What the hell did any of that mean? He leaned his head against the window, his breath fogging the glass, and it took a lot of effort to refrain from sinking to his knees. He had just finally met his father face-to-face, or reflection, after years of always being fatherless, and even after Percy had discovered that Zeus was actually his father, he had always still expected never to meet him. And their 'meeting' hadn't been what he would have expected. He could still feel the effects of the fear in his mind wreaking havoc to his body and he wiped away the sweat that had broken out on his forehead, sweeping his hair out of the way as his fingers collected the moisture.

"Statue, curse, snake, eyes," he said softly, repeating the words that his father had said, the ones that were a silent scream in his ears. A hand suddenly touched his shoulder and he jerked to attention, whirling around, pausing at the sight of the kind-looking woman whom he recognized as Rick's secretary.

She seemed to gaze at him in concern, eyes a warm brown color. "Is everything all right, sir? Do you need help?"

He shook his head, trying to clear away the fog. "No, ma'am, I'm okay. Thank you for asking," he was thankful to speak with someone not named Zeus. "I merely lost track of time. I was stuck in my head."

"Ahh, I can understand that. Are you here for Mr. Patrick? I don't know if you remember, but I'm his secretary - we met earlier. If you could come back with me- "

"Oh, that's okay, ma'am, I know who you are. Rick- I mean, Mr. Patrick told me to wait by the water machine." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another woman, a beautiful woman step through the doorway, eyes hidden behind sunglasses, and he could have sworn that the strands of her hair moved. He couldn't help but stare at her, taken aback by her fierce allure, wondering if this new woman was a daughter or legacy of Aphrodite somehow.

"Sir?" The secretary leaned in closer, "What's wrong?" She turned around and saw the beautiful woman who had just walked in. "Just a minute, sir, I need to help this woman." The secretary approached the newly-arrived woman, a smile on her face. "How may I help you, ma'am? Do you have an appointment?"

The beautiful woman turned and Percy stiffened, knowing that even though she was wearing sunglasses, her eyes were locked onto him. "No, darling, you cannot help me," her words flowed smoothly and seductively, her very voice like honey. "Soon, though, I will have the help that I need and be healed of this terrible curse."

"Curse?" He muttered, furiously thinking as the woman stepped closer, hands moving upward to grab the sunglasses. What was he missing? Who was the woman and why did he feel under threat, like an animal who was in the presence of the predator? Why did it feel like the Minotaur all over again?  _'Be wary of a pretty face, Perseus. You never know which one is a snake and which one isn't. The mortals say that the eyes are cursed hooks to the soul, and I suspect that you wouldn't want your soul to be eternally trapped in a statue.'_  His father's words howled in his mind and he gasped, springing back, finally connecting the dots. "Medusa! You're her, aren't you? Fuck!"

The woman froze at his words for a moment before a smile graced her face. Her fingers slid off the sunglasses, her cursed eyes still thankfully hidden, and before his own white orbs, her skin shifted to an unnatural and unhealthy-looking pale color. Her fingers grew into sharp talons, and a forked-tongue darted out between her lips. Shimmering scales seemed to appear and they shone under the light as all of the strands of her hair swayed and became snakes that suddenly began to turn to look at him. One of the snakes then reached down and ripped away the sunglasses.

Percy immediately slammed his eyes shut, trying to desperately figure out what to do. What had Chiron said in class? For fuck's sake, it was his namesake who had slain her in mythology, so why hadn't he memorized it? He cursed himself as he heard the hissing of dozens of snakes in unison, the sound sending chills down his spine.

"My, you are clever, son of Zeus, but that won't save you - and it won't save her, either."

The secretary!

He almost opened his eyes, but he refrained, keeping them squeezed shut. "Leave her alone! Don't hurt her! She's just- "

"It's too late for the mortal, son of Zeus. She was frozen in stone the moment when my babies caught glimpse of her." He heard a terrible screeching sound and somehow knew that Medusa's talons were scraping the stone-turned woman. "And it's too late for you, now."

"ATHOS!" He roared, trying to warn his brother and everyone else. "It's Medusa! Keep away! She's here!"

Medusa's elegant laughter filled the air, "I have frozen tens of thousands of half-bloods, many children of the Big Three among them. I have only been killed once in my entire existence since that lying and cold-hearted Athena cursed me, son of Zeus. Do you think that it will happen again? No, I am now fully aware of the trick of reflections, so there will be no trickery this time! Your little group of Quest-doers will perish with you, frozen in stone for eternity, more additions to add to my… collection. Then my reward will be my freedom from Wisdom's curse."

"Haven't you heard?" He kept his eyes closed as he looked into the well inside him, and grabbed the rage and courage, the power. "The Minotaur had been able to claim the same, but I destroyed that greasy fuck just as I'll destroy you."

A hand touched his face, talons ghosting over his lips with painful precision. "Such delusions of self-grandeur, young one. You're not wrong about that cretin, the Minotaur, though. From everything that I've heard, you survived a direct strike to the head from his hammer, a truly impressive feat. It has been a long time, maybe never, since I've added such a beautiful and powerful half-blood to my collection. I'm certain that every monster in the Realm can feel your strength; we are drawn to it, as the mortals say, like bees to honey." He kept his eyes shut as he felt Medusa come closer, hot breath colliding with his face. "I wonder what I must do to see those eyes of yours. Torture could work and so could threatening that brother of yours, but I would hate to do that to you. No, how about something easier? How about… a kiss?"

Before he could even protest, her fingers gripped his head with bruising force and a pair of lips caught his own fiercely. It took every ounce of willpower that he possessed to keep his eyes shut, especially when her forked-tongue pried his mouth open and began to poke and search everywhere in his mouth. He tried to shove her off him, but the grip on his face was too strong, too painful - he feared that he if shoved her with all of his strength, he would decapitate himself because her grip on his head was so strong! He was utterly helpless, repulsed, horrified, and even - to his shame - slightly aroused as Medusa kissed him roughly and deeply ravaged his mouth with her forked-tongue.

"Hey, get away from him, snake-face!" He heard Grover shout and suddenly, Medusa's lips left his own with a wet, sucking sound, and he could breathe and try to escape since her grip on his face lessened. At the opportunity, he shoved Medusa off him, and the feeling of her strong fingers being violently removed from his head was extremely painful. He hissed and then, while keeping his eyes shut, he wiped his lips with his hand, feeling all of the spittle and saliva coat his hand now.

He heard a crack and Medusa's scream of rage, "You will know no gentle death, son of Hermes. You'll pay for that!"

A hand touched his shoulder, and Percy wrenched it off, twisting harshly before a harsh bark of pain echoed. "It's me, Percy!" Rick's voice hissed, "You can open your eyes now, she's not looking over here. Luke is fending her off. …Oh, gentle Jasmine. Medusa reached her, I see."

Warily, his eyes opened and, indeed, he wasn't immediately turned to stone and it was Rick who was speaking to him. He dared to glance at Medusa and saw that she had transformed into a long serpent, face still the same that he had seen when she had entered the area except, now, she wore no sunglasses and her hair was dozens of snakes. And the secretary, Jasmine, had been crumbled into small pieces, and he wished that he had been able to prevent it, but he couldn't focus on his regret and guilt about Jasmine.

"Where's Athos?" He demanded, looking everywhere but at Medusa. "And why hasn't she turned Luke to stone? She clearly sees him."

Rick grinned, "It's part of the children of Hermes' gifts. We run too fast. The stench of the dark magic that Athena cursed her with can't reach us because we run away before we are turned to stone. If Luke stops running, he'll be a statue just like… Jasmine. As for your brother, Grover pulled him and Annabeth, along with the shields, out of the room immediately when he caught sight of you and Medusa… kissing. What the fuck was that?"

"She was trying to force me to open my eyes," he growled out, still feeling the horror of that moment in his mind as he watched Luke blurring around the room, gusts of wind exploding in random places. "We need to help him - I don't know how long he can last."

"I don't know how long I will last, but I'll do what I can." Rick pulled off the Celestial Bronze belt and Percy immediately felt the change, could sense the aura of power that surrounded Rick, and while it was nowhere near Luke's, it was still strong. In fact, Medusa's head jerked up as Rick blurred towards her and Percy immediately turned away, trying to remain flesh.

"Son of Zeus, we have unfinished business! Your Quest mustn't continue!" Medusa screeched and he heard her dash at him. Percy immediately bolted, thunder booming and roaring in the air as he ran as fast as lightning itself, and he could hear the song in his blood as he blurred around the building, tearing through walls and floors, trying to escape from a condemnation to be an eternal statue:  _'Son of the Sky. Son of the Sky.'_

Time was slower as he ran around and eventually, he dared to turn around, wondering if Medusa was still chasing him. He regretted it when she was only mere feet behind him, her eyes glowing with an unholy, freezing power as her snake-body slithered forward faster than any regular snake that he had ever seen. In a panic, especially when he began to feel her dark magic begin to affect him, he somehow ran even faster, fear a presence in his mind.

How could he defeat someone whom he couldn't look at, especially when she knew about the reflection trick?

"Hey, if we team up, I'm sure that we can somehow figure it out." Rick suddenly appeared next to him, running effortlessly and Percy abruptly realized how dangerous a fully-matured son of Hermes could be, able to run faster than anyone else, even him, since Hermes was the god of Speed.

Percy glanced behind him as he crashed through a wall, the vibrations shaking through him but they didn't hurt one bit. "What the fuck can we do? She's fast!"

"But so are we." Luke's voice had a strange echo quality to it as he appeared out of seemingly nowhere. "Throw lightning at her, Percy. I know that you can do it. I saw Thalia do it all of the time!"

He blinked and narrowly avoided a frozen-in-time employee, focusing and drawing on the power, the energy inside him. Then, he stopped in his tracks and after squeezing his eyes shut, whirled around when he felt Medusa halt behind him. With eyes closed, he felt himself unleash torrents of lightning from his fingers in crackling and screeching streams of power, felt the dazzle in the air as electricity sparked across his body in a harmonious dance.

Medusa screamed in pain, the sound almost making Percy open his eyes. "You will never know peace when you're part of my collection, Jackson!"

"Here, Percy, catch!" Rick cried out and he turned to the side, cracking open his eyelid and plucked the beautiful shield out of the air, feeling the smooth and strong metal graze his fingers. Then the forms of Luke and Rick blurred through the air as Percy hid behind the shield, seeing the outlines of Medusa's screeching snake-body.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw animals appear, rushing out one of the broken walls, charging past him at Medusa. "Grover," he whispered, remembering the Museum.

Percy peeked over the edge of the shield and his eyes widened in dread when Medusa howled, a wave of dark magic exploding from her wounded body. He instinctively ducked his head behind the shield, bracing himself against the powerful breeze.

"Fuck!" Grover roared from the hole in the wall and Percy watched in horror as the wave smashed into both Luke and Rick, sweeping them off of their feet, destroying all of the animals that Grover had… summoned.

In the blink of an eye, Medusa snatched the bodies of Luke and Rick in her snake-body, slowly coiling around them, squeezing like the mightiest python and boa constrictors imaginable, scales shimmering with the stench of vile magic.

"Open your eyes, sons of Hermes, sneak a peek," she purred darkly, not looking tired at all as Percy barely peered past the shield. Thankfully, their eyes were shut but based on their agonized expressions as Medusa attempted to suffocate them, crushing their chests as she tightened her grip, her snake-body coiled so tightly that some of her scales cracked ominously; they couldn't keep them squeezed shut much longer.

He had to do something, but thinking anxiously, he didn't know. He could run at her, but that would only begin the cycle all over again where he, Luke, and Rick simply chased her - actually, the other way around. No, he needed something, a killing blow that would destroy Medusa just as the Minotaur.

The Minotaur!

Percy yanked his sack around and jammed his hand into it, thinking of the Minotaur's Hammer and then his hand grasped the handle. He eagerly, rapidly pulled it out, the pulsing, black-colored energy humming. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his own power and felt it flow into the hammer, and when his eyes opened, the color of the energy had morphed into an amalgamation of the black color and his lightning.

From what Chiron had said, and from what he himself had experienced firsthand, the hammer negated one's healing factor. If he smashed the hammer into Medusa, she would be immobilized because she would be unable to heal from the damage that his strike had dealt.

With his mind set in eternal stone, he inhaled slowly, hearing Luke and Rick's groans of pain, and then he blasted off around the shield directly at Medusa. Time slowed down once more and Percy saw Medusa look right at him, glowing orbs trying to consume him in eternity, but thankfully, she couldn't uncoil herself from around Luke and Rick fast enough to use most of her body to defend herself.

Now only mere feet from her, he jumped forward, striding across her long snake-body and then he lunged at her, determination gnawing at his heart. He refused to witness more people die because of him! Medusa brought up her arms to shield herself, but Percy had been expecting it. Instead of immediately plowing into her, he raised the hammer overhead and brought it down heavily on her arms as he ran by.

Her screams echoed strangely just as Rick and Luke's voices had done, but he wasn't finished. Immediately after shattering her arms, as he continued to run around her, he drew on strength, the divine strength that he had inherited from his father, and he swung his arm around faster than lightning, smashing the hammer into Medusa's cheek.

Her head snapped to the side grotesquely and Percy heard the expulsion of a gasped breath, the throaty whimper that echoed through the area as he stopped in place. When she didn't move except to collapse backward, her snake-body releasing a stunned Luke and Rick, he knew that he had succeeded, that the hammer had accomplished what it had been meant to.

Dropping the hammer back into his sack, he pulled out the pen-sword from his pocket and flicked off the cap, standing upright unflinchingly when the majestic blade sprang upward, only a hair's breadth away from his nose. He walked forward towards where Medusa's broken-necked head lay, realizing that she wasn't truly dead, otherwise her body would have burst into golden dust just as the Furies and the Minotaur had.

"Are you guys all right?" He looked at Luke and Rick as he passed, observing them as they grasped at their chests, gratefully clawing at them. "It looks like you couldn't have lasted another moment in her grip." Neither spoke, instead waving at him, inhaling slowly, probably waiting for their almost fully caved-in chests to heal.

"Way to go, man!" Grover suddenly hooted and stepped through the hole in the wall. "When she destroyed my animals, I thought that we would all be done for, but you saved the day again. Well done. I left Athos and Annabeth, along with the two other shields, in a different room just in case, so I'll get them while you… finish it."

He nodded in understanding as he turned around and then he crouched over Medusa's head, watching as the hair-snakes thrashed and writhed, hissing and snapping at him, but he wasn't concerned. He wouldn't be frozen in stone forever; Medusa couldn't even move her head to lock her deadly eyes onto him.

"You've frozen your last victim, Medusa," he said quietly. "No more will face the hold of eternity as a statue."

"I will return, son of Zeus, we always do. Even if you sever my head, Tartarus will not hold me forever. I will eventually be able to return to the Mortal Realm and when I do, my first act will be to track you down and add you to my collection - and every one of your bloodline, too!"

Percy narrowed his eyes, "Then I'll kill you again, but before I do sever your head, one last thing: tell my dear uncle that I'll be seeing him soon; he will pay for what he's done."

A croaked huff of laughter echoed from where her face was permanently turned. "Foolish boy, you know nothing of what's actually happening. You're just a pawn in a game that you don't even know that's being played."

He ignored her words and brought down his sword, but hesitated. This was different. Medusa was different. She was capable of speech and words, unlike the Minotaur. She was dreadfully beautiful whereas the Minotaur was the ugliest motherfucker whom he had ever encountered. Medusa actually kind of resembled a human, at least before she had revealed her true form, and her face especially, except for that… tongue.

When her snake-hair moved and began to curl around the sword, he remembered that Medusa wasn't human. She was a monster who would have frozen him as a statue, along with Athos and everyone else, to add to a collection that undoubtedly contained hundreds of thousands of half-bloods. She didn't deserve to be treated as a human. She was a monster, and monsters deserved to be put down.

Percy began to breathe rapidly, gathering his courage and psyching himself up, and then he swung the sword down. Her head rolled to the side and the body, after several moments, began to waver and then it burst into the golden dust just as the Minotaur's had.

"It's over," Rick confirmed as he came to stand next to him as Percy rose back to his full height. "Well done, my new friend, well done. Your gallant and power-filled legend is already growing quite rapidly. Your brother had already told me of the Minotaur while we had been getting the shields. I may be out of line, but I know that your mother, regardless of her feelings about this life, would be filled with pride that you are surviving."

Luke passed him and kneeled down over Medusa's head. After a moment, he picked it up and presented it to him. "Here you go, it's yours, Percy, yours by conquest. The head still works after her death if you point it at someone and simply take the sunglasses off."

He grabbed Medusa's head by the snake-hair and felt tremors of revulsion shake through him.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Annabeth's voice echoed and Percy turned around, watching as she exited the hole in the wall. "You attract monsters like bees are to honey." He flinched as those were nearly identical to the words that Medusa had uttered before she… kissed him.

"I'm undefeated so far," he replied after a moment of swallowing his disgust and smiled at his brother. "It's all right, she's dead. Do you have the shields?" He didn't see them, even when he focused intently.

Athos huddled close to him, staring at Medusa's head with repulsed fascination. "Yeah, I put them in my sack." His eyes closed, "Why do these monsters keep attacking us?"

"Because of who you are, Athos." Rick put his Celestial Bronze belt back on and Percy felt his aura vanish, as if it were never there. "All children of the gods face monsters. It's inevitable."

"Sorry about your building, man," he looked around and observed the silent carnage. "You're not going to sue me, are you?"

Rick laughed before he sobered, "No, don't worry, Percy, I'll take care of it. I'll tell the mortal media that it was a robbery and several of my employees were unfortunately and… most sadly caught in the attack."

"We need to depart," Luke declared. "We can't stay in one place too long, otherwise every monster in the world will come down on us."

"It was good to see you, Luke, and I wish you all the best in your Quest." Rick nodded sincerely. "Percy, a moment?"

He was taken aback, but he recovered. "Sure,"

"We'll be waiting outside the building, then." Luke motioned as he exited the room. "Come on, everyone."

Athos seemed hesitant to leave, so Percy smiled gently. "Hey, bud, it will be okay. Rick's not gonna hurt me. I'll be right down to join you, all right?"

"I don't bite, I swear, Athos," Rick pointed at Medusa's head that was still held in Percy's hand. "He will unleash that on me if I do attack him, deal?"

His brother nodded his head and slowly left the room.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Percy turned to Rick, putting Medusa's head in his sack, knowing that he wouldn't need to use it, that Rick wouldn't attack him.

Rick rubbed his hands together softly before a strange look crossed over his face. "Your brother and Grover revealed how you revealed to them that you're Quest was to also try to recover your father's Bolt, how it's been stolen since the Winter Solstice along with Poseidon's Trident."

"Yeah, but what about it?"

"Just be wary, okay? There are many out there who would manipulate and extort you for their own purposes."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"One more word before you go: emotion without devotion only leads to a commotion, Percy. If you want to save your mother, be loyal to the agenda that you desire; don't become distracted. It's the only way to succeed. How else do you think that I made it this far?" Rick then smirked, "By the way, how was that kiss with Medusa? Is she a good kisser?"

Percy frowned and rolled his eyes, turning around to leave. "Fuck you, man," he ignored Rick's laughter. "It was totally uncalled-for, what she did," he shivered before he looked back at his new friend. "Thanks for everything, Rick, and when we rescue my mom, I'll tell her to give you a call or summon an… what was it called?"

"Iris message?"

"Yes, that! I'll tell her to give you one."

XxXxXxXxXxX

The fire crackled through the darkness of the forest and Luke reclined back against the tree, watching lazily as Annabeth introduced Ambrosia and Nectar to the Jackson brats.

"You must pace yourself; the gods can consume these like air itself- "

Percy interrupted, a strange look on his face. "Wait, do gods even breathe?"

"- but half-bloods have to be more careful." Annabeth paused, her face slackening. "Well, the gods don't need air to survive, so no, I suppose that they don't breathe."

"They have lungs, don't they?" Percy asked, "Chiron said in class that the gods are perfectly similar to humans in appearances save for their impeccable-lookin' features, so wouldn't they have lungs, then?"

"Yes, they would," Annabeth was clearly taken aback. "I actually don't know why they do, though…"

Zeus' son nodded his head, "They're gods, so they don't need 'em, but they have 'em because… maybe they wanted to somehow blend in? Who knows? Wait, matter of fact, why do they even, technically, have a heart?"

Luke answered. "A god does have blood, Percy, but it's ichor, golden in color. All immortal beings have ichor, it's the fundamental key to their immortality. The Titans have it, the gods have it, and some monsters have it, too. The heart of a god would act the same way that a human's does, keeping the ichor flowing."

Athos looked confused. "But blood runs through the human body mainly to keep oxygen circulating, spread nutrients, and to remove the carbon dioxide build-up and other waste. If a god doesn't need oxygen, why would the heart matter? Their immortal bodies wouldn't create carbon dioxide, either, because they don't need oxygen, thus canceling out the whole purpose for a heart. Couldn't they just have the ichor without the heart? Couldn't it just, I don't know, sit there in their veins, if they even have veins?"

"Well said, Athos." Annabeth shockingly said and Apollo's son grinned ear-to-ear at her praise. "The Jackson brothers raise excellent points that I've never truly considered, but enough about the physiology of a god; we could debate for the rest of eternity without knowing the truth unless one of the gods specifically reveals our much-needed answers. Anyway, if any half-blood eats too much Ambrosia, they'll feel feverish, and in severe cases of too much consumption, they could even perish."

"So, this is what the gods eat?" Athos' eyebrows were scrunched together, looking down at the Ambrosia in his hand hesitantly. "What does it taste like?"

"The greatest things imaginable," Grover piped in. "It's different for everyone; whatever you yourself think is the best-tasting food ever, the Ambrosia will taste like it."

Luke raised an eyebrow as Athos immediately shoved the Ambrosia into his mouth, cheeks puffing out as he chewed rapidly. "It tastes like mom's cookies!"

Percy, at those words, followed his little brother's actions, popping the Ambrosia into his own mouth in a blurred motion. After a moment, his white orbs - ones the reminded Luke that Thalia was the one who died, not Percy - became wide in awe, and with his mouth still slightly full, he spoke, his groan of delight an echo in his words. "This is so good that I want to sew my fucking ass cheeks together so that it will never leave my body."

Annabeth's face twisted in revulsion while Luke's own twisted in amusement. "That is disgusting," his once-close, daughter-like friend exclaimed, scooting away from Percy and closer to Athos, and Luke noticed that the kid looked elated.

Grover snorted and chewed on his own Ambrosia. "That won't be a problem for me, Percy, because I don't have ass cheeks."

Percy's white orbs latched onto Grover's and he finished chewing. "You lucky bastard," he said it with such seriousness that Luke actually felt true laughter bubble in his chest and escape through his nose in an amused snort.

Athos frowned, "Wait, what? How do you… you know, expunge your waste?"

"Expunge my waste?" Grover muttered, looking confused.

Percy rolled his eyes, "Is there an echo in this forest?"

Grover shook his head, "Expunge my waste? What does- "

"Ahh, so there is an echo in this forest," the son of Zeus nodded his head, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Thanks for clearing that up, my friend."

"Fuck you, Percy, I don't understand what your brother is asking!"

"He means, how do you take a dump without ass cheeks?"

"Oh, I - and regular humans and half-bloods, for that matter - don't need them. Ass cheeks are not important in the process of taking a shit; they only touch the toilet seat. I just simply do it just like a goat does, my shorter friend," the Satyr responded without batting an eyelid.

Annabeth suddenly stood up with her Ambrosia and Nectar, and Athos looked panicked. "Woah! Where are you going, Annabeth? What are you doing?"

"I'm no longer able to eat around you. I'll think that I'll go over there somewhere to, hopefully, keep the disgust at bay. I'm going to eat alone."

"You can't eat alone!" Athos cried out in horror, and Luke raised an eyebrow as Athos stood to his feet. "I'll go with you."

Before either could march off, Percy interjected with a roll of his eyes, looking at his younger brother pointedly. "We're all going to stay here, okay? Annabeth, Grover and I… apologize for our… crude words. I'm sorry that we disgusted you."

Annabeth huffed before slowly sitting back down, Athos following her like a lost puppy. "You really shouldn't be pursuing subjects such as those when people are trying to eat." Her voice was firm, almost mother-like, and based on the look on Percy's face, he didn't like it. "Better yet, don't do it in front of me. You guys can be all gross when I'm not around."

Luke closed his eyes, feigning sleep so that he would be left alone; he really wasn't in the mood to deal with children, specifically ones who were blinded by the gods. "Let's just go to sleep, everyone. You don't need to worry, I erected magical barriers that will alert us if monsters are near."

"That sounds like a good idea," Annabeth said and he sensed that she had laid back.

"That shit with Medusa took a lot out of me, so I should rest, too." Percy's voice grated on his ears, but Luke resisted the urge to inflict harm on him. It wasn't Jackson who had been in Medusa's grip as she tried to crush bodies, it had been Luke and Rick. The phantom pain of that bitch's strong grip spasmed through his chest, and Luke inhaled slowly, keeping himself calm.

He opened his eyelid to look one last time at every one. Grover was already asleep, hooves arcing in the air slightly. Percy was staring into the fire, propped on one arm, and Athos was curled next to him, eyes closed. Annabeth had scooted over to the other side of the fire, her New York Yankees hat laying on her chest, ready to be dawned in a moment's notice, her eyelids shut.

Luke leaned back against the tree once more in satisfaction and felt Morpheus' grip curl around his mind, and he knew that his master wished to speak with him. Surrendering himself to the power, he was sucked into the Shaper of Dreams' Realm, and then deposited before the Crooked One.

The ubiquitous darkness welcomed him, the souls of the damned screeching an unholy chorus in Ancient Greek:  _"You'll be one of us, you'll be one of us!"_

Ignoring them, Luke kneeled where his master's presence dwarfed over him. "Gutta cavat lapidem," he intoned respectfully.

" _Gutta cavat lapidem, a water drop hollows a stone."_  By the tone, he recognized that Kronos was not angry, which was a relief.  _"Jackson is strong, glorious for my ambitions. He slew the stone-turner, second in his kind's history to achieve such an unrivaled feat. Have you begun your mission, Castellan?"_

"It will soon commence, Crooked One. He already trusts me, a folly that the Fates have ordained. They are clearly on our side. Athos Jackson will die, and the gods will be blamed for it, specifically Zeus."

" _See to it, Castellan. Perseus Jackson is a prize that must be mine. I've spent much of my energy on him. That time and effort cannot be wasted."_

"Your will be done,"

" _You are useful, Castellan, one who is willing to follow me."_

"You're perceptive, Crooked One. Perhaps if I had been in the First Titanchomy, aiding you then, the Moirai would have chosen a different reality."

" _You're now presumptuous, overly bold."_

"Always. I must be, or I could never succeed in heralding your rising to power, Crooked One. You know that I know that you could swat my existence away at any moment you so choose, but you don't because I must be of value."

" _Make certain that my Trojan Horse is on the path to me, Castellan. If Jackson doesn't become mine, your value in my eyes will drop, and then you will die."_

Luke gasped as he was sent careening back into his body and he shot up soundlessly, the fire a flickering spark in his peripheral vision. His eyes adjusted to the darkness of the forest immediately and panic swept through him when Percy was nowhere to be seen.

He shot to his feet, twisting and turning, stretching out his mageía.  _There!_  After making certain that everyone else was still stuck in Morpheus' grasp, he followed the path that Percy had taken.

Soon enough, he found the kid and the sight that met his eyes was one that he hadn't expected: Percy sat on a large boulder, one of his fists curled tightly into the rock, making deep fissures, cracks spider-webbing in all directions from his great strength. In his other hand, he held the Minotaur's Hammer, a deep hatred carved into the kid's features, the light of Artemis' Chariot doing nothing to hide it.

"You should probably try to get some sleep, Percy," he approached him, making sure to make his footsteps audible.

Jackson's gaze snapped to his own, "Luke, what… what is it?"

"I was worried when you weren't by the fire," he shrugged his shoulders, purposefully keeping his posture lose and unthreatening. "I thought that a monster had somehow gotten through the barrier."

Percy put the Minotaur's Hammer back into his sack. "Sorry, I just needed a moment by myself."

"That's understandable, you've been through a lot."

"How did you deal with it?"

"Deal with what?"

"...Thalia's death, how did you keep yourself from succumbing to the boiling hatred and… the grief?"

Luke glanced away to keep the kid from glimpsing the rage that crossed his face. "Why do you ask, Percy?"

"My mom."

"Thalia wasn't my mother, she was my best friend, my… my everything," he said honestly, unable to keep the long-dormant love for Thalia from being provoked by Percy's words.

"But you felt those things, right? Every time I see that fuckin' hammer, I want to stab myself. I wield the weapon of the bastard who slaughtered my mother right in front of me. That's the only reason why I was able to kill Medusa: the thing's ability to negate a healing factor kept her broken neck from healing. Then I had been able to kill her without fear of being trapped in eternity as a statue." Percy leaped off the boulder and began to pace in front of Luke, looking like an aggravated animal. "That sick fuck… murdered my mom and I spit on her memory by using that damned hammer, but it's the only thing that has kept us all alive. UGH!"

"You miss her," he said after a moment.

Percy glared at him, the white orbs flashing with the power of lightning, and Luke heard thunder clouds boom in the sky. "No shit, Luke! Of course, I miss her! She is…" a horrible devastation crossed Percy's face and the kid collapsed to his knees, the ground shaking slightly at the impact. "She was my mother, and now she's gone," he whispered, deep and sorrowful pain echoing in the air.

Luke felt incredibly uncomfortable, but his hatred for Sally Jackson -  _Sally Jackson!_ \- was still just as strong, perhaps even stronger. "You know, are you sure that you want to do this?" Percy looked up with a pale face, but he continued calmly. "Your mother could be in Elysium, you know? It's a paradise above paradise, Percy. She could be at peace- "

"I don't care!" Percy snapped, looking raw, almost broken. "I'm selfish, okay? I need her in my life," a broken, sob-filled laugh escaped the kid's lips, and he turned his head to the ground, hands curled into tight fists. "When I was younger, I had always promised myself that I wouldn't miss it, you know? I never wanted to look back someday to find that I had taken everything for granted." The wind picked up slightly, ruffling through Luke's hair. "Yet… that's exactly what I fucking did. Now my mom is gone, and I never gotta tell her how much she meant to me, how much I did take her for granted, how much I loved her. All of the beautiful things that I missed because I…" the words were soft and Luke craned his head forward, trying to hear. "I was too much of a fuckin' child. I don't get a rewind to fix my mistakes, and I sure as hell don't get a do-over; my mistakes will always be there." When Percy's face turned upward, Luke's breath caught at the tears spilling down the kid's pale cheeks in streams of misery. "When I rescue my mom from my life-stealing uncle, the first thing that I am going to do is apologize and tell her how much she means to me. I'm selfish beyond egotism, but I don't care. I need more time with my mom."

He nodded his head in consideration. "You raise excellent points. I'm sorry if I offended you about Elysium, it wasn't my intention."

"What about your mom, Luke?" Percy sniffed, wiping his cheeks and swollen eyes. "Is she still alive?"

"She died a long time ago," he smiled tightly, the memories of that day when he escaped from her insane clutches flashing in his mind: his hands that had wrapped around her throat, literally squeezing the life out of her frail-looking body, the way her insane eyes had burst from their sockets, how her magical attacks did nothing to stop him, and then how she had slackened under his grip, her body falling to the floor with a thud, Thanatos sweeping her away to the Underworld, and hopefully, the Fields of Punishment.

"Perhaps we could rescue her from the Underworld, too, if you want."

Luke turned towards the kid, startled by the suggestion. "It's been almost a decade since my mother died, Percy, a decade that is too late. She had perished long before her body withered; she's been dead to me for a long time."

Percy swallowed, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be, she was insane," he slowly sat down next to him, sensing that now would be an excellent point to begin the turning of Perseus to Kronos' side by sharing truths. "She tortured me, you know? She beat me and touched me, and her insane laughter is still a rupturing echo in my scarred mind to this day."

The kid looked horrified, "But she was your mom!"

"She didn't know the meaning of the word, Percy, just as the gods don't know the meaning of the word family and parent." Luke lowered his voice slightly, "Hermes has done nothing for me, ever. He never saved me from my insane mother. Instead, he left me to rot in her abusive clutches. I've never even met him; never received any gifts, either. The only time when I even felt his presence at all was when he had claimed me, an honor that I should worship him for, but you know what? I spit on his presence, cursing him vehemently. The gods are petty and vain, selfish beyond fantasy. Their arrogance is legendary and their tempers even more so. They kill mortals when they feel like it, impregnating them with their cursed seed when lust clouds their divine minds, and sire half-bloods who they have no intention of ever knowing, nonetheless raising or loving." His eyes locked onto Percy's white orbs, and he ignored the memories of Thalia for now. "The mortals are playthings to the gods, but I'll tell you a secret that Chiron wouldn't dare share: the gods envy us, Percy, in all of the ways that matter."

"Envy us? Why would they be jealous of… mortals?"

"Because mortals die," he said softly. "They envy us because any moment, any at all, could be our last. The gods have long forgotten what fear feels like, what life truly is, and how to live it. Us mortals, even half-bloods, see the ubiquitous beauty in life because we are inevitably doomed to wither and decay, no matter if we can potentially live much longer than a full-blooded mortal; the monsters will eventually consume us or the gods themselves will slay us. They look down at the mortals from their abode on Olympus and they are jealous of our ability to fully love one person, to live life to its fullest, to experience things for the first time." Luke clenched his hands into tight fists. "So they harm the mortals to inflict pain on those whom they envy because the gods are so content in their ichor-fueled immortality that they refuse to live as a mortal, to experience the things that they truly yearn for. Olympus should implode, and all of the gods with it! They don't deserve their selfish immortality."

"That makes a lot of sense," the kid nodded slowly, his voice quiet. "Who deserves immortality, then? The Titans who are locked away in Tartarus? The half-bloods? Other gods? Are there other… pantheons? Is that the word? Do the Egyptian, Roman, Norse, Celtic, Hindu, Mayan, Japanese, and Chinese… pantheons exist? Are the Greeks the only one, or are there more?"

"The Greeks are the only pantheon, Percy."

"Good, because all of the creation myths - everything in everyone's version of history - would contradict each other," the kid sat up straighter. "Then, just as history has dictated, a void of power would appear. If the gods suddenly forfeited their immortality, who would replace them? It would mostly be like every revolution in history! The Bolshevik Revolution, after slaughtering the House of Romanov, created a vacuum of power that went to Lenin, and then Stalin after him. Look at Germany and Hitler! Then you have the France Revolution and Napoleon's blatant power grab to become Emperor after King Louis XVI of France was executed via a Guillotine by his own citizens. When someone is overthrown or relinquished from power, new infrastructures always take place - something, whether it's vile or decent, will inevitably fill the void, and it's usually vile!" Percy's white orbs froze Luke in place. "You clearly detest the gods, and rightly so, but who would fill that void of incalculable power? Demigods? The Minor Primordials? What about the Titans? They still exist; I know that they do because Annabeth said earlier that Tartarus was the Titan's prison, not their grave."

Luke raised his eyebrows, but inside, he was seething; the kid was a lot smarter and cleverer than he had accounted for. "What if the Titans replaced the gods?" He then asked lightly, "Are they so much worse than them?"

"My grandfather consumed his own children," the kid interjected flatly. "There's no fuckin' way that I would ever be okay with a cannibal in charge of the universe or something."

"That's true," he relented, trying a different angle. "What makes you so certain that the Titans are worse, then?"

"All of the legends and stories, of course! My cannibalistic grandfather was their King!"

"Yes, but who wrote those stories, who created those seemingly infallible legends?" Percy's face froze and Luke nodded his head. "Yes, the gods did, and I'm certain that you know that history is written by the victors, right? I'm not saying that the gods lied, but isn't it possible that the Titans aren't the scum of the Immortal Realm as everyone thinks?"

Percy tilted his head, his white orbs unnerving. "But you think that the gods are the scum of the Immortal Realm, don't you?"

"Damn right, I do," he said truthfully. "They expect us, their children, to worship the ground they never walk on. We're nothing but toy soldiers in their eyes, weapons that they can discard when they feel like it. We don't owe them anything, Percy, we never have."

"I don't care about the gods either," the kid said shockingly. "I don't give a fuck if my dad somehow ceases to exist right now. I've been ordained to recover his stolen Bolt, but I don't give a rat's ass whether I get it or not. The only thing that I care about is my mother, and that's my only focus. Enough about the gods, Luke, I wish for my ears to be free from such abuse."

"I can't blame you, then," he said softly before an idea came to him; he could secure more trust from Percy. "You mentioned earlier about wanting to learn magic, right? Do you want me to teach you a little bit?"

Percy grinned, "Hell yes!"

"What do you want to learn?"

The kid furrowed his dark eyebrows, the antithesis of Thalia's, and hummed. "I suppose that… I want to be out of a monster's sense, you know? My mom kept me and my brother hidden from the gazes of monsters for years, and I want to learn how to do that on my own. It could help with our Quest."

"Very well, I think that I can do that," he stood to his feet slowly. "Remain sitting and follow my instructions, okay?"

"Thanks, Luke,"

He smiled, the sinister intent behind his actions hidden from Percy. "If you ever need anything, my new friend, I'll be here to help you."

XxXxXxXxXxX

**Well, that's all for this one, everyone. I hope that you all enjoyed it. If you'd like, please leave a review and tell me what you thought of it. I'd really appreciate it; it helps me out!**

****Percy gets a history lesson! In the books, I don't think that there was ever a true history lesson-like scene at all in the** _**Percy Jackson** _ **series, even though it wasn't necessarily needed. It WAS needed, though, in the** _**Heroes of Olympus** _ **series, but there wasn't one either, and I believe that it was sorely needed for those half-bloods, for all half-bloods. I mean, shouldn't they know where they come from, their lineage, their divine heritage beyond the Olympians and Titans? The Primordials are their direct ancestors and they are truly important in the Greek Mythological world, but the Primordials were never really explored besides Gaea herself – and even then, she was wholly disappointing, especially the way how she was 'beaten' in the** _**Blood of Olympus** _ **book** _**.** _

**I obviously changed things up because, honestly, I was kind of tired of the same old Chaos is the first and all. I have seen other stories and myths where the first being wasn't Chaos but Chronos, the Primordial of Time, and it makes sense. In the Orphic myths, Chronos was the creator of the cosmos because he gave birth to Chaos, Aether, and an egg. I know that it's not in line with Canon, but I changed it. Time, in my opinion, is seen as an eternal concept far more than Chaos is - and Fate, too. Some of the things that Luke says about Chronos is taken directly from** _**Smite.** _ **If one thinks about it, why is Kronos so powerful? Why was he King of the Titans? Why was he the only one who had the balls to face Ouranos? Because his domain of power was over time! Time is the most powerful and destructive force in creation. They or those who control time, control everything. So shouldn't the creator, the father of the Primordials be such a being, be time itself? Chronos' consort has always been Ananke, so I pictured her as the mother of the Primordials, then.**

****Patrick Fitzroy Patrick (Rick) appears! He is a now-billionaire son of Hermes who left Camp Half-Blood years ago and survived in the Mortal World because he has a Celestial Bronze belt, which masks his aura, that was enchanted by Sally Jackson years ago to keep his scent masked, too, when he wears it. I always found it interesting, when in Canon, there were no half-bloods who lived in the Mortal Realm at all. Sure, I know it's dangerous but many of the children of the gods would be clever enough to figure out numerous ways to survive just as Sally Jackson and Patrick Fitzroy Patrick were able to - through magic and a Celestial Bronze belt. Yes, some of Patrick's words to the 'fat prick' were quotes of Al Bundy from** _**Married with Children** _ **and a few from the TV show** _**Frasier.** _ **They seem like something that a billionaire would say to someone who they don't want to deal with; it was the quickest way to get the meeting concluded, by insulting the man.**

**Medusa shows up and they all duke it out. I didn't want to do the Canon route of Aunty Em's Emporium because it has happened too many times in other stories - and plus, how it all happens seems to be childish and unrealistic. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm changing quite a bit of things. Medusa's appearance is taken directly from the** _**Clash of the Titans** _ **movie; I always liked that rendition of her with a snake-like body instead of how she appeared in Canon. Medusa would actually be very strong because of her snake-body, so that's what I did for this story. How else was she able to kiss Percy without him pushing her off of him? (Sorry if that scene creeped people out, but it seems like something that Medusa would do - she seems like a seducer who wants people to open their eyes by listening to her words, but she can use force if she needs to.) Since Medusa was cursed by Athena to be a snake, pretty much, she is practically, in all sense, a snake creature. Reptiles are able to** **extend their metabolic energy reserves by keeping themselves sustained at a lower output rate for a long period of time. Mammals aren't able to do that because they rapidly accumulate their energy and then they just as quickly burn their reserves in one powerful surge.** **So, while the half-bloods fight her, she's just getting warmed up pretty much. And that doesn't even take into account her turning-to-stone powers. So, in conclusion, why nobody has ever defeated her before save for the original Perseus and now Percy is because she, logically, is so dreadfully powerful and deadly.**

**Percy is actually very fast; any child of Zeus is! Zeus is the deity of lightning, so Zeus himself is, at the very least, as fast as lightning itself, which travels at about one-third of the speed of light – how insane is that? In myths, Zeus is light speed capable, but his children in this, such as Percy, would definitely be as fast as lightning - and they have the potential to become faster! I always thought that Rick Riordan had missed an opportunity for Zeus' children in regard to their speed. In Canon, it would have elevated Thalia and Jason, and all of the other half-bloods who Zeus sired, if they inherit that part of their father's abilities, to Percy's Canon-level of power. (Let's be honest, without that speed, Percy would effortlessly kick both of their asses.) The only half-bloods who would be faster than Zeus' children, in all honesty, would be Hermes' children. But because Zeus is Zeus, probably the strongest of the Big Three, the strongest in mythology, then Zeus' children have the potential to surpass Hermes' children in speed.**

****Luke and Percy talk! I tried to show some vulnerability for Percy because, let's all be honest, he has been acting like his dear old dad by being arrogant - mostly. Luke senses an opportunity to begin to sway Percy to join him and Kronos, but since Percy is a lot smarter than he was in Canon, he pokes holes in Luke's philosophy. I am fully aware that the way the French Revolution and Napoleon's rise to power happened was a lot different with how it played out in history – along with Hitler's rise to becoming Chancellor and later Führer of Germany – but the way I wrote it out is a teenager's understanding of how it all happened. Percy is a smart guy, but he's no child of Athena or a learned adult. He's just a kid still in spite of his actions; he's only 14-years-old, after all. And yes, I did use some quotes from the movie** _**Troy** _ **, particularly the one about how the gods are envious of mortals. Luke would undermine the gods at every given opportunity to sway Percy, and by declaring the faults of the gods, he begins to declare his own personal theories about everything.**

**Okay, I may be completely alone by having this opinion, but it has always really, really, really bothered me how Riordan incorporated different mythologies into one universe** _**.** _ **I mean, really? I understand why he did it, what he was trying to do from a story standpoint, but it makes no sense logically! There's a reason why all of the pantheons and mythologies are separated in history and by scholars! The only pantheons and mythologies that are allowed to be breathed in the same sentence are the Greek and Romans - they are the exact same, after all. That's it, and even then, it gets extremely complicated in Riordan's story when there is a Roman version of Camp Half-Blood. When he added the Egyptian and Norse deities, it just completely ruined everything from a world-building point-of-view. The idea had merit but that doesn't mean that it makes sense. He can do whatever he wants, though; it's his creation, but I, as a fan of** _**Percy Jackson** _ **, question some things as a result of his decision.**

**How do all of the Nine Realms in Norse Mythology - Alfheim, Asgard, Helheim, Jötunheim, Midgard, Muspelheim, Niflheim, Svartalfheim, and Vanaheim - all exist in the** _**Percy Jackson** _ **universe? What about Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life in Norse Mythology? It connects the Nine Realms together, but then if the Norse and Greeks are in the same universe, it discounts everything from Greek Mythology such as the Primordials and Chaos! If Yggdrasil exists in** _**Percy Jackson** _ **, what happens to Earth and everything that occurred on it during the Titanchomies? The entire** _**Percy Jackson** _ **universe becomes devoid of any sense for realism and continuity. Is Midgard what the Olympians - the Greeks - rule over? If so, that skews everything. What happens to the Primordial deities such as Gaea who are literally the Earth? Would Primordials just simply 'sit tight' on one measly planet instead of conquering everything else? I don't think so. Does Asgard have their own Primordials? What makes up Asgard? Do they have their own version of Gaea? What about Ouranos?**

**In Norse myths, Odin is the one who fashioned Midgard - the Earth - out of Ymir's slaughtered flesh and body, so obviously, the Primordials weren't Ymir's torn flesh. ("From Ymir's flesh, the earth was created. And from his sweat, the sea. Mountains from bone, trees from hair, and from his skull, the sky. And from his eyebrows, the blithe gods made, Midgard, home of the sons of men. And from his brains, they sculpted the grim clouds.") Then we get to the World Serpent, the trickster, Loki's son who is prophesied to kill Thor when Ragnarök begins, who lives in Midgard's oceans, encircling the entire planet. How would Poseidon be okay with a being of that magnitude and power living in his Realm? If anything, Poseidon would have used the Midgard Serpent to help him overthrow Zeus to seize control of Olympus and rule over all of the other gods. What about Loki's prison where the venomous snake drips its poison on him, causing earthquakes as he thrashes from pain?**

**The Olympians would notice and probably wouldn't take too kindly to another god in their Realm - which, if everything was supposed to magically align together, and it doesn't, would be Midgard. If anything, they could free Loki and he would bring Ragnarök early and if Ragnarök occurred, would it only affect the Norse? The Greeks don't have an Armageddon-like event in their myths, so… how could all of this happen? What about Valhalla versus Hades' Realm? All mortals are doomed to Hades, yet now there is supposed to be another afterlife. And what is supposed to determine which mortals go to which Underworld? And then there is the Egyptian Underworld since the Egyptian gods are in Riordan's universe! Are there now supposed to be different Underworlds?**

**Now, what about the Egyptian gods? What about the Egyptian Sun god Ra who created the universe? I thought that that was Chaos - or, in this story, the Primordials borne by Chronos and Ananke? Also, if all of these pantheons exist, wouldn't they have all gone to war with one another by now? How would that go down? Although, I do think, personally, that the Greek gods would win, but if we go down that road, it destroys everything because there would probably be some stupid treaty that must be followed. So, I decided to cut off any ability for myself to explore the other pantheons and mythologies. The only one is Greek. There will be no Norse or Egyptian! My mind will not be changed.**

**Well, I think that's everything. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Leave a review and tell me what you thought about it.**

_**Stay Safe  
** _ **ButtonPusher**


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